Shadowlight
by Ambassador Cara Jade
Summary: The final installment in our Callista trilogy. Prince Xizor returns, with many scores to settle
1. Underworld

**Shadowlight  
**the conclusion to the Luke and Callista trilogy  
edited by Ambassador Cara Jade and Jedi15  
  


We are not making any money off of this story. Most of the characters aren't even ours, anyway.   
  


chapter 1  
  


The small cantina was dimly lit, smoky, and dingy. He could not believe he'd fallen into such filth. Ten years ago, he'd been one of the most powerful people in the galaxy.  
_ No, _he thought_. In the Universe.  
_ Now here he was, ten years later, having to lower himself to such...plebeian surroundings.  
His lips formed a smile. _But not for much longer_, he thought.  
He caught sight of his aide in the far corner, accompanied by another man. Drawing his hood closer around his face to hide his face from the infidels around him, he started over to him.  
His aide looked over her shoulder, causing her thick blond hair to swirl around her shoulders, and saw him there. She made a small gesture of obeisance. The other man stood, but did not bow.  
_This man_, he thought. This man...one of the most feared men in the galaxy. Soon after they'd first met, he'd been reported dead. But then that had proven false.  
Definitely to his advantage.  
There were a million copycats of him in the galaxy, and it made it fairly easy for him to blend in. The blue-gray Mandalorian armor and the bullet shaped helmet had been his signature mark, and struck fear into even the most hardened individual.  
"Boba Fett," he said. "So good to see you again. Please, sit down so we may start our negotiations."  
The bounty hunter did as he was told. "Let me begin this way," he said through his helmet's voder. "When I first went after Skywalker, he was nobody. Now he's a galactic icon. This is going to be more difficult then it was the first time I was hired to do it. My bounty has gone up." He paused. "Two million credits."  
"I don't want you to go after Skywalker," he said. "I want you to kidnap his daughter. You will deliver this toddler to me, and I will hold her for ransom against the New Republic."  
"How much ransom?" Fett asked.  
"Control of Coruscant." He said. "After I have that, you will get your two million credits."  
Fett nodded. "Where is this child?"  
"At the moment, the young Skywalker family is on Coruscant, visiting the Solo extension of their clan. I want you to get her before they leave."  
"It will be done, Prince Xizor."  
The Dark Prince smiled. "Excellent. Guri will give you the rest of the details." He nodded to Guri, who sat beside him, and to Boba Fett, and took his leave.  
Xizor smiled. With the daughter of Luke and Callista Skywalker in his clutches, he would have absolute power of the Jedi, and the Chief of State.  
Black Sun was on its way back to power.  
  
Coruscant at midday was as busy as Callista Skywalker had ever seen anywhere. Humans and aliens alike milled around Imperial Square, conversing in a thousand languages.  
_ Nothing changes, _she thought. Even when she'd first come here, a wide- eyed teenager from a literal backwater world, the streets had always been full, the skies trafficked with ships of all kinds.  
With a quiet smile, she thought, There are some things that evil will never destroy.  
"Mommy?" Her daughter, Hope, wriggled in her mother's arms. "When we gonna see Annie?"  
Callista smiled and bounced the little girl on her hip. "Soon, honey. They're going to be so surprised, you've gotten so big!"  
It was Hope's third lifeday tomorrow. Callista, Hope, and her husband Luke had agreed to come to Coruscant to spend the festivity with Luke's sister and her family. Ever since Hope had been born, she'd had a special connection with the Han and Leia's youngest son, Anakin. The bond had been strong enough to save her parents.  
Callista looked briefly at her free hand, saw the scar the Nightsister's spikes had left. It sent chills down her spine to remember what had happened on Dathomir, where Hope had been born.  
Beside her, Luke lifted Hope from his wife's arms and hoisted the little girl on his shoulders. Hope squealed in delight. "Maybe we should tell them what a little troublemaker you've been, and then you won't get any presents!"  
Hope laughed, knowing that her father was joking.  
"Luke! Callista!" Han was jogging towards them, his lopsided grin lighting his face.  
Luke raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Han!"  
"Long time, no see!" Han said as he clapped Luke on the back. "How's everything going?"  
"Oh, same old, same old," Luke said with a grin, looking up at Hope. "What with having to run the Academy, spending time with my wife, and changing Hope's diapers, I've had a pretty busy year."   
Han chuckled. "Sounds familiar. At least you've only got one kid to worry about. Leia and I have to live with three of them." He grabbed Hope by the arms and swung her into the air. "Hey there, life day girl! How's my favorite niece doing today?"  
Hope squealed with delight as he swung her even higher a second time. "Uncle Han, I'm your only niece! Where's Anakin? I can't wait to play with him again."  
"They're all waiting inside," Han said as he set the little girl down. He turned to Callista. "Hey, Callista. Is it just me, or do you seem even more beautiful than ever?"  
Callista smiled, slightly embarrassed, slightly flattered. "Are you hitting on my wife, Han?" Luke asked jokingly. Han took a step back, raising his hands in surrender. "How are things going with the Verpines and the Barabels?" Callista cut in. Han sighed. "No luck. They're still at each other's throats. After weeks of negotiations, she's no closer to ending their feud than she was ten years ago. I don't think they can even remember what the original conflict was all about."  
Luke nodded in sympathy. "Well, if we could live through the Empire, we can most certainly survive this."  
"But enough about that," Han said, changing the subject. "Let's all head inside, where the party's waiting."  
"Yippee!" Hope cheered as the small group headed for the turbolift. "I can't wait until I see Anakin again!"  
"Yeah, but don't you two go causing any more trouble like last time," Luke warned.  
"Awww, but Daddy," Hope said with an innocent smile. "Annie and I weren't doing anything bad. We were just having fun."  
"You call slipping a spider-rat in Jaina's toybox fun?" Callista said.  
"Jaina didn't mind," Hope said. "She liked the spider."  
"Well, judging from the screaming we heard," Luke said with a smile, "I think Jaina anything but liked the spider."  
"Do you think she's still mad at me for melting her lightsaber experiment?" Hope asked.  
Callista snickered. Her daughter was certainly a wild child. She probably got that from her father. "Just promise us that you'll behave yourself while we're here," she said. "No picking on Jaina anymore, okay?"  
Hope quickly nodded. "Okay," she said, crossing her fingers behind her back as the group started for the turbolifts. "Uncross those fingers, young lady," Callista said over her shoulder, and Hope groaned as Luke lifted her up.  
When the group approached the turbolift, the doors slid open, and a cloaked figure strode out, bumping none-too-gently into Callista.  
"Hey!" she grunted in surprise. "What's your problem? Look where you're going next time!"  
The figure walked on, not looking back.  
Callista and Luke shared a glance. "I wonder what that was all about," Luke said.  
The figure watched from the shadows as Han, Luke, Callista, and the child entered the turbolift. When the elevator doors shut and took them upstairs, she pulled the black hood away from her face.  
"Gotcha," Cray Mingla said, a smile curving at the corners of her mouth.  
  
Hope could barely contain the excitement within her as she, Uncle Han, Mommy, and Daddy headed down the hallway. She always loved coming to Coruscant; the city-covered landscape was so much different from the humid jungles of Yavin 4.  
Plus, visiting Coruscant meant that she could play with Anakin.  
Hope and Anakin were best friends. Jacen and Jaina were okay, she thought, but a little dumb. Jacen always tried to make her laugh by telling jokes that a bantha wouldn't find funny, and all Jaina ever did was take things apart and try to put them back together.  
Anakin, however, was completely different from his brother and sister. Whenever Hope would come to visit, she and Anakin would always play games together, like hide-and-seek in the air ducts. Or they would team up to annoy the heck out of Jacen and Jaina. Like the one time when they snuck into Jacen's room while he was sleeping and dumped all his clothes into the garbage disposal. Or the time they accidentally broke Aunt Leia's favorite Alderaanian vase and put the blame on Jaina. Jaina, of course, wasn't too happy about that.  
Although Hope loved playing indoors with Anakin, something else also caught her eye. Several times, she had heard the grown-ups talk about a dark, scary place called the "lower levels". Apparently, the lower levels were the bottom floors of the city skyscrapers, where hardly anyone lived.  
Mommy and Daddy had told her several times that the lower levels were dangerous, and should always be avoided. Hope wondered what kind of monsters she would find if she ever went down there. That would be so cool!  
"Here we are," Uncle Han said, as he rang the door chime to his apartment. A few seconds later, the door slid open to reveal Aunt Leia.  
"Hey, everyone!" Leia exclaimed as she reached over and gave Mommy and Daddy a big hug. "I was wondering what took you guys so long."  
Daddy smiled. "Bad traffic," he said. "It certainly hasn't improved since we last visited."  
"That's for sure," Aunt Leia said, then smiled down at Hope. "Hello, lifeday girl!" she said as she picked Hope up and gathered her in a hug that squeezed all the air out of her body. "How does it feel to be three years old now?"  
"Um...great, until just now," Hope said as she struggled to get out of Aunt Leia's grip. She was cool and everything, but man, her hugs could kill!  
Leia finally set her down and invited everyone in. "Glad you all could make it," she said. "We were just about to begin the party."  
Hope squealed with delight as she ran with the speed of a tauntaun into the apartment. "Annie!" she called out. "Annie, where are you?"  
Anakin got up from watching the holovid in the living room. "Hey--" was all he could say before Hope tackled full force into him. The two children fell to the floor, playfully wrestling with each other.  
The grown-ups looked on, proud. "Wow. Just look at those two," Mommy said. "Has Anakin been working out or something?"  
"No, he's just filled with an endless amount of energy," Aunt Leia said. "Typical of kids her age."  
Chewbacca entered the room then. With a loud growl, he picked the two kids up and swung them into the air.  
"Whoa!" Hope yelled as she twirled up in the air and landed right back in Chewie's arms. Anakin followed shortly after, and he swung them back up again, roaring with laughter.  
"This is fun!" Hope screeched as the Wookiee caught them again. "Do it again!"  
"Why, hello, Master Luke and Mistress Callista," See-Threepio said as he came out of Jacen's room. "It is a pleasure to see you again."  
"Right back at you, Threepio," Daddy said. "Where's Jacen and Jaina?"  
Threepio groaned. "Oh, they're in Master Jacen's room, sir, engaging in another...food fight."  
Aunt Leia laughed. "Not again."  
"I tried to stop them, Mistress Leia, but they joined forces to turn on me," Threepio said. "I was lucky to survive without a scratch."  
"These kids are quite a handful, aren't they?" Daddy said.  
Uncle Han gave him a good-natured grin. "They sure are. But I wouldn't have it any other way."  
  
Chewie tossed Hope and Anakin in the air one last time, then set them down on the couch. Hope giggled. She loved Chewie.  
"You're just in time," Anakin said as he turned the holovid back on. "The Adventures of Captain Zarckan was just about to start."  
"That is such a lame show!" Hope said, as she took the remote pad out of his hands. "Let's watch The Warrior Girls of Dathomir instead."  
"Awww, do we have to?" Anakin groaned. "That is such a girly show."  
"Well, I am a girl," Hope said. "Besides, girls get whatever they want. You don't, because you're just a boy."  
"I don't think so," Anakin said, snatching the remote pad from her. "This is my house, and in my house, we watch what I want. If we were on Yavin 4, we would get to watch what you want. It's as simple as that."  
Hope groaned and resigned herself to suffering through another boring episode of Captain Zarckan and his faithful droid companion, Pookiee-3. The grown-ups all went into the kitchen to get the food and presents ready.  
Halfway through the show, Hope asked, "Hey, where's Jacen and Jaina?"  
At that moment, as if on cue, the twins burst into the living room, covered in milk, pieces of rice pancakes, and gravy.  
Anakin moaned. "You just had to ask," he said.  
"Hope, how's it going?" Jaina asked politely.  
"Just fine until you guys came along," Hope retorted.  
"Hey, Hope, wanna hear a joke?" Jacen said.  
Hope groaned.  
Ignoring her, Jacen said, "What did one dead frog-dog say to the other dead frog-dog?" He paushed dramatically, then said, "CROAK! Get it? Croak, as in 'dead'. Come on, that was funny!"  
Hope didn't laugh.  
"So, I heard that negotiations with the Verpines and Barabels didn't go too well," Luke said as he sat himself down at the dinner table.  
Leia sighed as she worked at wrapping up one of Hope's presents. "Not at all," she said. "Our spies found an entire load of Verpine body parts in several Barabel merchant ships. The Hive Queen wasn't too happy about that. I'm beginning to think that war in inevitable?"  
"Is the Republic going to intervene?" Callista asked.  
Leia shrugged. "I don't know. Someone has to, or else thousands of people are going to die. The problem is, neither side is bad. Unlike the Galactic Civil War, there is no good guy and bad guy. We can't just take one's side and help obliterate the other."  
"So, what exactly are we gonna do?" Han said.  
"I'm not sure," Leia said, the stress palpable on her face. This whole Verpine/Barabel conflict was starting to take its toll on the Chief of State. "It's times like these that make me wish I was just a normal person who had a normal job and didn't have to worry about the fate of the galaxy."  
Luke got up and laid a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Hey," he said softly. "You'll get through this. Because you have family here."  
"If there's anything we can do to help," Callista offered. "We have hundreds of Jedi Knights at our disposal."  
"Well, now that you mention it," Leia said, turning to Callista. "Callista, when you were still a student, did you ever face a situation like this?"  
Callista thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. I had a friend named Ilios. He was an orphan, and had spent most of his life in the gutter of Aldera. Another student, Cerante, was really well off; you know, high society and all that. They were always disagreeing with each other, always fighting. No matter what Master Djinn did, he could never get them to calm down. And one day, during a lightsaber training session...Cerante almost killed Ilios."  
The kitchen grew quiet then, as the three adults listened intently to Callista's story.  
"What happened afterwards?" Han asked.  
"Well, we took Ilios to our medical center, where he eventually healed. When he was released, he was overcome with hatred. Hatred for Cerante. I tried to help him, to tell him that hatred lead to the dark side...but he wouldn't listen. A few days later, Cerante challenged Ilios to a duel. I tried to stop them but.Cerante killed Ilios. Cerante died soon after." "How?" Han prodded. Callista bit her lip. "Well, um.I.killed him."  
A heavy silence fell over the group. Leia moved in closer, her face paler than it was a second ago.  
"So, there was no reconciliation?" Leia said. "No truce?"  
Callista sadly shook her head. "It was tragic, but things like this happen all the time. My master and I tried so hard to help them, but in the end, they chose to solve the conflict in their own way." She met Leia's eyes. "You may not be able to prevent the Verpines and Barabels from ripping each other to shreds, Leia," she said. "All you can do is do everything in your power to save them." "And if I can't?" Leia said. Callista paused. "Then you can't. You can't always succeed, Leia. It's as simple as that."  
"I wonder what they're talking about," Jacen said as he leaned against the closed kitchen door, trying to listen in on the grown-ups's conversation.  
"Grown-up, stuff, probably," Jaina said. "In other words, boring stuff. And--" She grabbed Jacen by the arm and pulled him away from the door. "--stuff we shouldn't be listening to."  
Hope sat next to Anakin on the couch, watching the remainder of The Adventures of Captain Zarckan. "This guy is such a moron!" Hope said in disgust. "Why is he trying to sneak onboard a Star Destroyer without stormtrooper armor? That's just gonna get him killed! Sheesh, I don't even know why you like this stupid show."  
"It is not stupid!" Anakin snapped back. "And be quiet! I'm trying to watch the show."  
Hope got up and started dancing around the couch, singing in a loud voice, "This is a stupid sho-ow! This is a stupid sho-ow! This is a stupid sho-ow!"  
"Knock it off!" Anakin shouted.  
"You two fight like an old married couple," Jaina observed as she tinkered with her multitool.  
"Maybe they should get married," Jacen said jokingly.  
Hope and Anakin let out a simultaneous, "Ewwwwwwwww!"  
"That is nasty!" Hope said. "Don't even joke about that, Jacen!" She turned to Anakin. "I'm bored now! Let's go play a game."  
"Sure," Anakin said. "So, what do you wanna play? Hide-and-seek? Children's Sabacc? Paint Threepio Purple?"  
"Nah, we already did all those," Hope said. Then an idea occurred to her. With a wicked grin, she said, "I know. Why don't we go down to the lower levels?"  
Anakin gasped. "Are you kidding? It's scary down there!"  
"Yeah, but it sounds like fun!" Hope said. "Come on, please. Pleeeeeeeeeeease. I promise I'll never say another word during The Adventures of Captain Zarckan ever again! Pretty please?"  
Jacen gave Anakin a warning look. "Anakin, you know what Mom and Dad have said. _Never_ go down to the lower levels. It's dangerous."  
Anakin thought about it for a while. When he finally reached a decision, he grinned back at Hope. "All right, Hope Skywalker," he said. "Let's go check it out."  
Hope grabbed him by the arm, and they headed for the door--  
--only to be blocked by Jacen and Jaina. "Where do you two think you're going?" Jaina demanded.  
"Outta the way!" Hope snapped.   
"If you leave, we're telling," Jacen said. Hope and Anakin shared a glance, then turned toward the twins, a sly grin lighting both their faces. Jacen and Jaina cried out as a powerful Force shove pushed them back into a closet. With her mind, Hope slid the door shut before they could get out and locked it.  
The twins's muffled cries could barely be heard outside the door.  
Hope turned to Anakin with a triumphant grin. "Let's go," she said.  
Anakin gestured toward the door. "Ladies first."  
"Hope!" she heard her daddy call. "It's time to go home!"  
Hope groaned loudly. "Daddy! Do I gotta? Ani and I were having fun!"  
"I know, honey," Callista said. "But how can you enjoy your life day if you're half asleep?" She stretched her hand out and Hope reluctantly took it.  
Anakin ran over to Leia. "Mom, can Hope stay here tonight, pleeeeease?"  
At this, Hope brightened. "Yeah!" She started jumping up and down excitedly. "Can I Mom, can I can I?"  
Callista looked at Leia, who shrugged, then Luke, who did the same. "Yeah, go ahead. You're almost three, you're big enough for sleepovers."  
"YAY!" Anakin and Hope cried in unison.  
Luke hugged his sister. "Call us if she gets too rowdy." he said, kissing Leia on the cheek. They all exchanged hugs, and Luke and Callista left.  
"All right," Hope whispered to Anakin. "Now we can go down to the lower levels and play as long as we want!"  
"Anakin," Han said. "Where're your brother and sister?"  
  
Once they got back to their suite, Luke and Callista slumped onto the couch. Callista curledup, resting her head in his lap as he pulled her close. "She's getting so big, Luke."  
Luke chuckled. "And harder to handle. Maybe we should have delivered her on some peaceful world, like Khomm, or something..."  
Callista smiled. "I wouldn't have her any other way, my love." She sighed. "Her first sleepover. Seems like only yesterday all she could do was blow raspberries."  
"Leia said it goes by fast." He kissed Callista's forehead and stroked her arm.  
Callista snuggled closer. "Soon she's going to be training as a Jedi...in the Old Republic, you know, they used to start training them before they were a year old. Simple exercises, just letting them learn what the Force feels like."  
"Really?"  
"Mm-hmm." She didn't say anything for a moment. "She's going to be leading the new generation of Jedi. It's getting closer, Luke. The new Jedi order is getting stronger. We just have to teach them all we can before handing off the duty of defending the galaxy."  
Luke sighed and stood up, displacing Callista. "Yes, well, Master Obi-Wan used to say to keep our focus on the here and now. And now, our daughter is spending the night with her cousins. And that means we have this place all to ourselves until sunrise." He held out his hands and helped Callista to her feet.  
"What do you have in mind, Master Skywalker?" Callista asked, mock- dubiously.  
In answer, Luke gave her a passionate kiss and led her to the bedroom.  
  
Later that night, when everyone else in the apartment was asleep, Hope and Anakin decided to make their move.  
Hope, who had been staying in Anakin's room, quietly opened the door, making sure that it didn't creak, and peaked outside the hallway. All the lights were turned off, and she could barely see her hand if held in front of her face. She stretched out with the Force to make sure that everyone was indeed asleep, and then nodded at Anakin.  
"Coast is clear," she said.  
"Okay," Anakin said, heading over to his toybox. "If we're going down into the underworld, we're gonna need supplies."  
Hope watched impatiently as her friend took out a mini-glowrod, some animal crackers, and a tracking device. "Come on, come on," she said.  
"Hold your tauntauns, Hope," the little boy grumbled, putting all his stuff in a small duffel bag. He slung it over his shoulder and grinned at her. "Okay, now I'm ready."  
Hope smiled back. "Let's go."  
The two kids furtively stepped out of Anakin's bedroom and crept down the hall, careful not to make too much noise. In Jacen's room, Hope could hear him snoring loudly, and talking in his sleep.  
"No, Jaina, I don't have your multitool...no, I didn't mess with it...Anakin did it...Stop looking at me! Don't look at me like that! Stop! You're scaring me! Let go of me, you big bully, or I'm telling Mom!"  
Hope and Anakin shared a glance, shrugged, and continued on.  
Threepio stood in one corner, halfway through his sleep cycle. Hope and Anakin moved past him, heading for the front door.  
"Almost there," Hope said, the adrenaline building up within her.  
"Hey, Hope," Anakin whispered, careful not to let his voice carry, "what if someone wakes up and sees that we're gone?"  
"Don't worry," the little girl assured her. "They won't. We'll be here before anyone gets up. We won't even be gone for that long. I just want to take a little peek at the underworld."  
The two kids finally reached the door. The only barrier that stood between them and the ultimate adventure. Hope punched in the command, and the door silently slid open.  
Anakin gulped. "Well, here goes nothing."  
With Hope leading the way, they left the apartment and headed for the underworld.  
"Mom! Dad!" Jacen ran into his parents' room, screaming the roof down.  
Han groggily slapped the glowpanels on and sat up. "What is it, Jace?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.  
"Ani and Hope are gone!"  
  
"You know what?" Callista whispered, running her hand up Luke's arm.  
"What?" Luke asked.  
Callista leaned in, shaking her hair back over her bare shoulders. "I think Hope should have more sleepovers."  
Luke chuckled, raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. "I very much agree, my love," he said before moving to her lips  
The chirp of the kitchen com interrupted them, and Callista groaned, flopping back into the pillows. "Not tonight," she whispered with an amused chuckle.  
Luke smiled. "They'll call back," he said as he kissed her neck.  
"No, if they're calling this late, it's important. Maybe it's Leia." She disengaged herself from Luke's arms and slipped out of bed. As she made her way to the kitchen, she threw her blue robe around herself.  
Callista sat on a stool and answered the com. "Leia? What is it?"  
Leia took a deep breath. "Anakin...Hope..."  
Callista sat up straight. "Hope? What happened? Leia?"  
"They're gone. You need to get over here right away."  
  
Hope and Anakin skipped through the dark streets of Imperial City, laughing and joking between themselves. "Bet you can't catch me!" Hope squealed.  
"Can too!" Anakin cried and ran past her.  
"Hey!" Hope threw her little legs into full gear and sped after him. They failed to notice that the number of people around them grew smaller, the night darker, and the fog thicker.  
Hope skidded to a stop, and realized she had no idea where she was. "Anakin?" she called out. "Anakin, where are you?"  
No answer.  
"Anakin Solo, this is not funny!" The little girl cried indignantly, tossing her fists to her hips. "Come out right now, or I'll tell your mommy!"  
Then she felt something behind her, and she turned.  
There was no one there. "H--hello? Anakin?"  
She tiptoed closer to where she heard the sound, and squinted her eyes. "Anakin?"  
A large, gloved hand reached out and grabbed her, covering her mouth so she could not scream.  
  
Callista paced the Solo's living room, arms folded. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"  
Han, seated on the sofa beside Leia and Jaina, shook his head.  
"I do," a quiet voice mumbled. Luke, standing in the corner, came over.  
"Jacen," he said to the little boy. "Did they say something to you?"  
Jacen nodded. "Hope said she wanted to see the Underground."  
"There's a way to get in in Imperial Square." Leia said. She stood up and beckoned the rest to follow. "Come with me. Jacen, Jaina, stay here in case they come back. We won't be long."  
  
Anakin wandered through the fog, "Hope! I don't want to play 'hide-and-go- seek' anymore. Come out!" Hedidn't see her, he couldn't see much of anything, the fog was getting thicker.  
"Hope! Hope, this isn't funny! Please come out!" He keep walking even though he had no idea of where he was going. Maybe they would run into each other.  
"Ouch!!" Whatever he'd hit sure hadn't been Hope. Running his small hands over the form, he realized it to be a bench. Maybe this was an old park, Anakin thought as he sat himself down on the bench. It sure dosn't look like one though. Then again I can't see anything, so how would I know if it looks like a park or not?  
"Well if I can't find Hope with my eyes, I'll just have to find her with my mind." he said out loud, his voice echoing slightly through the halls.  
Reaching out with his mind, he searched for his cousin. Nothing. Anakin tried harder, he now could feel his family's fear for his and Hope's safety, he could sence strange life forms from the lower levels. But not Hope. There was no trace of her.  
This really scared Anakin. From the time Hope had been born, they had been able to sence each other, even talk to each other across space.  
Anakin got up from the bench and ran. He ran home as fast as his legs could go. Because somewhere inside his head, a little voice told him that Hope wasn't playing 'hide-and-go-seek' anymore.  
And that little voice never lied.  
  
Hope had never been so afraid in her life. The gloved hand remained tightly clamped over her mouth, preventing her from making any noise. She tried to scream with all her might, but it came out muffled and barely heard. What was she going to do?  
_ Help!_ her mind shouted, over and over again, sending her message across the entire city, hoping that somebody--anybody--would hear her. _Help me!_  
The person holding her finally released his grip on her and spun Hope around, bringing her face-to-face with the scariest monster she had ever seen.  
"Hope Skywalker, I presume," the monster said, his voice ominously low and menacing.  
Hope tried to wriggle free from the monster's grip, but he held onto her by both arms. He was far too strong for her. "Wh-Who are you?" she demanded, trying to put some strength behind her voice, but she was too scared to do so.  
"Boba Fett," the monster said. "Black Sun has taken an interest in the daughter of the Jedi Master. There's a bounty on your head, and I plan to collect."  
Hope gasped as she recognized the name. Daddy had told her about a scary bounty hunter named Boba Fett, who had captured Uncle Han and brought him to Jabba the Hutt in a block of carbonite. She had never heard of Black Sun, but why would they be interested in her?  
"No!" Hope shrieked, as she tried with all her might to escape. But Fett kept a hold on her with one hand, and withdrew his blaster pistol from his holster.  
A blue beam lanced out of the pistol, hitting Hope squarely in the forehead, and she dropped to the floor. As she fell, darkness ate away at the world around her, and by the time she hit the ground, dark oblivion overtook her...  
  
Jacen and Jaina sat in the living quarters together, anxiously awaiting the return of their family.  
"I can't feel Hope anywhere, Jacen," Jaina said, helpless. The chances of finding Hope through the Force were growing weaker and weaker. Jaina tried one more time, stretching her mind to the limits. Hope had to be in Imperial City somewhere.  
"You know, I really hate to say this," Jacen said, "but maybe Hope had this coming to her."  
Jaina dropped her search and gave Jacen a look of shock and disgust. "How can you say that? She may be annoying, but she's still our cousin. Our family. I have issues with her, but she didn't deserve this. And aren't you forgetting that our brother is also missing? Do you think he deserved that too?"  
Jacen prepared to say something back, then reconsiderd. He looked away from his twin sister, not meeting her eyes. "I guess you're right," he said. "So, any luck finding them?"  
Jaina sighed. "Nothing," she said. "I can't sense them anywhere. Not in the building, not in the Underworld...nowhere. What if something horrible happened to them?"  
Jacen put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," he said.  
Jaina felt a little comfort return, but only a little. She hoped the grown-ups would find them soon.  
As she prepared to try again, she felt a coldness rip through her heart, like a powerful wind had just burst into their home. She gasped and straightened up, a hand clutching her chest.  
"Jacen," she said, her voice quivering, "did you feel that?"  
Her brother nodded, his paled expression mirroring Jaina's. "What was that?" he asked.  
Jaina swallowed hard. "A disturbance in the Force," she said. "Someone very evil is on this planet somewhere...and it's after Hope."  
  
Callista, Luke, Han, Leia, and a contingent of New Republic guards waited in silence as the enormous turbolift brought them down, deeper and deeper into the forbidden Underworld.  
Callista could barely keep her fear in check. She never should have left Hope; she should have known that her daughter would have tried to do something like this. And now she and Anakin were missing in the most dangerous part of Imperial City.  
As if sensing her emotions, Luke laid a calm hand on her arm, silently assuring her. Callista tried to smile and hope for the best, but it was too hard. It was difficult being an optimist when your own child was missing.  
Minutes later, the turbolift ground to a halt, and the doors slid open with a quiet _whoosh._ One by one, the large group stepped out of the elevator and found themselves immersed in fog.  
Callista shivered as she stepped out into the cold. She had never been in the Underworld before; she had only heard stories from Luke and Han.  
Apparently, as the city of Imperial City grew layered with skyscrapers after skycrapers, the lower levels of the city were slowly abandoned by the population, leaving it in darkness and disrepair. According to Luke, the undercity consisted of mostly seedy taverns, demolished buildings, and wrecked equipment; its population mostly street gangs, granite slugs, corridor ghouls, and mutated subhumans. Callista shuddered at the thought of encountering creatures like these.  
But she was willing to do it._ I will go through the depths of Hell to bring my daughter back,_ she said to herself, and she believed her words.  
"My scanner isn't picking up any life signs," Han said, sharing a concerned look with his wife. Callista's heart went out to them, for their own child was missing as well.  
"I can't feel them anywhere nearby," Luke said, his eyes closed as he concentrated.  
Callista herself stretched out with her feelings. Something--she didn't know what--was blocking her senses, or else she would have picked up Hope's presence by now.  
The question was, who was or what was doing this?  
"Then we have to hurry," she said grimly.  
"The Underworld is a large place," Leia said, her eyes taking in their gloomy surroundings, "it would take a while to find anyone."  
"I don't care how long it takes," Callista said. "I will find them."  
Luke's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he went ahead of the group. Callista followed him, hoping against hope that he may have found something. Within seconds, everyone else was following suit.  
Luke bent over and retrieved something from the ground. He showed it for everyone to see, and Callista barely suppressed a gasp.  
"Hope's shoe," the Jedi Master said. "A struggle happened here, just minutes ago."  
Callista unknowingly shook her head, and snatched the shoe from her hand. No, she said to herself. No, she couldn't be...she couldn't be...  
"Callista, don't worry," Han said. "We're gonna find them."  
Callista looked up at him, determination emblazoned in her eyes. "I know we will. But we won't do it by just standing here."  
"Should we split up?" Leia asked.  
Callista nodded. "We'll cover more ground that way. Good luck to you all."  
The group dispersed, with Leia heading off in the West Zone, Han in the North Zone, Luke into the nearest tavern, and Callista in the East Zone. The guards separated as well and went their various ways. Even with these many people, it would take several weeks--perhaps even months--to scour the entire Underworld.  
As Callista walked onward, her lightsaber her guide through the darkness, a strange chill crept up her spine. She felt a presence--dark and malevolent, something that felt very familiar...  
She stopped in her tracks and looked around. She saw no one in the alley but her, but something told her that she was being watched.  
Trying to quell her anxiety, Callista bit her lip and continued searching for her daughter.  
  
Han wandered through the underground, searching for any sign of the missing children. The air down here was cool, but even so, Han could feel sweat drip down his back. It wasn't from exhaustion, but from fear. It terrifide him that his son and niece were lost down here; in the Force knows what kind of danger. All he could think about was that horrid episode with the clone Emperor. The thought of that happaning again was enough to cause him to break into a cold sweat. The fact that Leia, Luke or Callista couldn't sense the children didn't help his nerves in the least.  
Han had pulled out a glow rod and was holding it in his left hand, the other hand rested on his blaster. Against all his smuggler instincts, he had it set on 'stun'. Living with a certain princess for 13 years caused some of her "proper" habits to wear off on him. In his day, you shot first and asked questions later. Boy had things changed.  
"Hope! Anakin! Where are you?" Han yelled, flashing the glow rod down a deserted hall. Nothing. Not even a foot print in the brownish slime that covered the floor. _And the walls and the ceiling._ he thought. A drop of the stuff fell from the ceiling and landed on his head._ And my face_.  
Han stopped at a crossway, not knowing which way to go; Left into what looked like fog, or right into more slime. He turned to the right, glancing down into the brown goo. There were no prints. 'Guess I'm going left' he thought as he turned.  
As he went farther down the corrider, the fog got thicker. At least there's no slime Han had to smile, despite the circumstance.  
Suddenly he stopped, hand instantly going for his blaster, finding it already there. He eased the gun out slowly, never making a sound. 'There's something out there. I know I heard something.'  
The sound came again and this time Han realized what it was; Staggered footsteps and ragged breathing. His heart caught in his throat. Could this be the children? Or was it some monster that could rip his apart in a second?  
The footsteps had stopped, but the harsh breathing remained. Taking a tentative step forward, holding the light as far ahead as possible, Han Solo called into the fog, "Who's there?"  
"Dad?"  
At hearing the sound of his son's voice, Han's heart nearly stopped with joy and relief. "Anakin!" he shouted, making sure that he would hear him. "Anakin, it's me! Can you see me?"  
The footsteps started up again, and Han could make out a shape emerging from the fog. Too far for him to see its face, but something told him that it was Anakin. Han may not have been Force-sensitive, but he had something that all being in the galaxy possessed: intuition.  
And it was telling him that he had found his son.  
Han brought his blaster down and ran forth toward the figure, intending to gather his little boy in a powerful embrace.  
Instead, what he saw nearly sent his heart to a pulsing stop.  
A person draped completely in black stood amidst the fog, like a demon risen from the depths of Hell, one hand gripped around Anakin's throat. The boy squirmed and struggled in the figure's grasp, trying fruitlessly to get away.  
Han's eyes widened. Horrified, he went back for his blaster and aimed it at the stranger's head in less than a second. "Get your hands off my son," he said, his voice dripping with enough threat and anger to send a rancor running.  
The figure merely shook its head, and squeezed Anakin's neck tighter. "That is not going to happen, Solo," it said in a very feminine voice, indicating that it was a woman. "This boy is very special. He is part of the Bond the Kerash seek."  
Han's grip on his blaster wavered. That voice; it sounded so familiar...  
Suddenly, the stranger attacked.  
  
Callista heard Han's scream in her mind.  
"Han!" she shouted, her senses burning. Closing her eyes, she scanned the area for her friend.  
She found him a second later. A few miles northeast of her. His scream continued echoing in her ears. He was in so much pain, and she could feel his fear. Not fear for him...but for his son.  
"I'm coming, Han!" Callista said instinctively, knowing that he wouldn't hear her. She took off running at full speed, heading in his direction.  
Callista considered contacting Luke, Leia, and the others, but she decided against it. That would take too long, and Han needed help immediately. She doubled her speed, her lightsaber leading the way. She tore away at the fog that surrounded her, clearing her vision.  
Within seconds, she had reached Han.  
Her friend was laying on the ground, a bleeding, bruised mess. It looked as if he had been hit by a speeder bike. He was unconscious, but needed medical attention.  
Callista's eyes searched, and she saw Han's attacker a few feet away. A black-cloaked person--much like the one she had encountered earlier today- -and it was struggling with a very frightened Anakin.  
"You hurt my Dad!" Anakin shrieked, biting at the attacker's hand. "You're gonna pay for that!"  
"Silence!" The attacker struck Anakin with enough force to put a hole through the wall. The little boy crumpled to the ground, unmoving.  
Callista gritted her teeth and ran forth, determined to end this now. As the figure reached down to pick up Anakin, she came from behind, grabbed the person by the arm, and pulled her back so tht she was facing her.  
"That's my nephew you're messing with," Callista growled, her lightsaber almost touching the other's throat.  
In reply, the figure's hand moved up in a flash, knocking the lightsaber away. Her fist hit Callista in the jaw, sending the Jedi into the wall of a run-down building.  
Callista's body landed hard like a downed starfighter, relearning how to breathe. She weakly looked up to see the cloaked figure standing over her, face still hidden.  
"Long time no see, Callista."


	2. The Dark Prince

Chapter 2  
  
Luke stepped into the poorly lit tavern, his eyes adjusting to the dark surroundings. He could hear a band playing loudly in the background, mixed with the dozens of conversations in the cantina. Several beings turned to look at him, then returned to their sabacc games.  
It reminded Luke of his visit to the Mos Eisley Cantina with Obi-Wan and the droids, all those years ago. He had been a naive, bright-eyed kid back then, unprepared for the harsh reality of the galaxy.  
Now here he was, a Jedi Master, wise beyond his years. With his daughter lost.  
Luke closed his eyes, calming his mind, allowing the Force to take over him. _Hope,_ he whispered to himself. _Can you hear me?_  
There was no answer.  
He sighed, determined not to be overcome with panic or hopelessness. Hope was not dead; he would have felt it if something had happened to her. No, she was still alive--but where was she?  
He was determined to find out.  
Luke went over to the bartender, who seemed to engaged in a verbal battle with an overgrown Talz. The Jedi Master tapped the human on the shoulder. "Excuse me."  
The bartender--a dark-skinned man with a scar running down his cheek-- turned to face him, clearly irritated. "Not right now. I'm busy," he said in a gruff voice.  
"I'm looking for someone," Luke said in a neutral voice.  
"Not my problem," the bartender snapped, and turned back to the gray- furred Talz.  
Luke reached into his pocket and took out a small pouch of credits. "Fifty credits here says it's worth it." The bartender faced him again, his attention now aroused. He locked eyes with Luke, considering the offer, and waved the Talz away. "We'll finish this later," he said.  
The Talz merely snorted and headed off to look for more trouble.  
With the alien gone, Luke now had the man's attention. "So, who exactly are you looking for?"  
"A little girl," Luke replied. "Three years old. Blue eyes, brown hair."  
The bartender recoiled in surprise. "A three-year-old in the _Underworld_? She's probably dead by now."  
Luke felt his temper flare at the mention of his daughter dead, but he let it go by. Don not give in to anger, not now..."It's a long story," he said. "Her name is Hope Skywalker."  
The bartender's eyes widened. "_The_ Hope Skywalker? Daughter of the Jedi Master?"  
"You've heard of her," Luke said, unimpressed.  
"Actually, I have. Heard her name mentioned a few days ago from some guy."  
Luke looked up at that moment. "A guy?" he said. "Who?"  
The bartender shrugged. "I forgot."  
Luke knew he was lying; he considered using the Force to wring the information out of him. That would cause a scene, though, and he was trying not to draw attention to himself.  
Reluctantly, he took out another credit pouch. "Will a hundred credits help?" he asked politely.  
"Yeah," the man said as he snatched both pouches. He leaned in and whispered, making sure that his voice would not be heard above the rest of the conversations. "Black Sun."  
The answer caught Luke completely off-guard. "Black Sun?" he said, his heart sinking.  
The bartender nodded. "From what I heard, there's this guy who wants Skywalker's daughter. Don't ask me why, but I'm guessing a ransom or something. He's hired at least a dozen bounty hunters to do the job. Some of the best."  
Several named popped up in Luke's mind: Dengar, Korahh Thorlia, Nashpu..."It's starting to make sense now," Luke said, and he gave the bartender a nod. "Thank you, sir. You've been most helpful."  
"Anytime," the bartender said.  
As Luke left the tavern, he felt a new sense of dread. Black Sun was back, and they wanted his daughter. If that was true, then the Republic had to be informed immediately.  
But first, he had to find his daughter...before Black Sun did.  
As he headed back out into the mist-covered alley, he wondered how Callista was doing.  
Callista smashed into the opposite wall, making an impact so hard that several bricks feel loose to the ground. Her ears rang like an explosion, her entire body numb with pain. She felt her legs nearly collapse from the strain, and she almost fell.  
_ Don't fall! You'll lose if you fall!  
_ Callista somehow found the strength to stay standing, and turned to face her opponent, wincing as she did so.  
The black-cloaked fighter was already heading toward her, her cloak billowing around her like a pair of wings. "Come on, Callista," she said as she grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her back against the wall. "I've stepped on spider-roaches--"  
Her knee went up, striking Callista painfully in the face.  
"--that put up a better fight than you!"  
A backhand knocked Callista down to her knees.  
Callista groaned and tried to get back up. As she tried to clear her vision, she swore she could recognize this woman's voice--  
The attacker snatched her by the arms as she stood, squeezing with enough strength to snap the bones. Callista let out a small squeak as she tried to shake herself loose from the woman's hold.  
"Stop struggling, Callista," the woman said, clearly enjoying the pain she was causing. Her face was still hidden by the hood. "What's the matter? You don't recognize me? It doesn't surprise me any, considering that _you_ killed me!"  
Callista's answer was a powerful head-butt that snapped the other's head back, forcing her to let go.  
"I don't know the hell you are or what you want," Callista said as she moved in to continue fighting, "but I'll tell you this."  
As she spoke, she snapped a kick to the midsection, sending her opponent further back.  
"You're not--"  
She swung an uppercut to the jaw.  
"--going to--"  
A second punch.  
"--hurt my family--"  
A third punch.  
"--anymore!"  
She finished with a roundkick, twisting the cloaked woman to one knee.  
She was up in an instant, probably smiling, although Callista couldn't tell. "Nice moves," she said, as Callista threw another right hook. She blocked the blow with her arm, grabbing Callista by the hand again.  
She shoved Callista against a broken glowcrystal pole. "But I'm not impressed," she said as a blue blade exploded outward from her hand. Callista cursed, realizing that she had a hidden lightsaber.  
The attacker struck with an arc toward Callista's head. She ducked, and the blade ended up slicing right through the pole, sending it crashing to the ground. The cloaked killer tried a second time, and Callista rolled, narrowly missing a jab that put a hole through the duracrete.  
As Callista finished the roll and rose to her feet, she felt her opponent's hand grab her by the throat and lift her high into the air. She gagged as her air supply was cut off.  
The cloaked figure stood before her; her face was hidden, but Callista could tell that she was smiling. "Should've used the Force, Callista," she taunted. "Haven't you learned that by now?"  
Callista could not answer, but she vowed to break this woman's neck as soon as the opportunity arose.  
"Bon voyage," the other said, and threw her into the air with incredibly inhuman strength. Unable to control her momentum, Callista plummeted, almost flying, and hit the ground like a meteorite, sliding headfirst against the sidewalk.  
After nearly an eternity, Callista rose weakly to her feet. Her head was badly scraped from the impact; the rest of her body had fared little better. If she didn't think of a plan soon, she was done for.  
The cloaked woman stood in the middle of the street, watching her. "Your move," she called out, her voice echoing.  
Callista strode toward her adversary, planning to do just that--when her eyes rested on Anakin.  
The little boy had been watching the battle, cradling his unconscious father's head, terrified beyond words. Callista looked at the woman, and realized that Anakin was what she wanted.  
And she had to get him as far away from this killer as possible.  
Abandoning the battle, Callista ran over to her family. She gathered Anakin in one arm, and used her other arm to bring Han to his feet. "Come on," she gritted, draping him over her shoulder. "We're getting out of here."  
"I'm scared, Aunt Callista," Anakin whispered.  
Callista gave him a sad smile. "Me too," she said, kissing him on the forehead.  
She started running with the two in tow.  
Cray watched as the threesome fled the alley. She let them go. It would be far more exciting to pursue her prey this way.  
Once they had turned the corner, she pulled back her hood brought her comm-link from her robes. She contacted her Kerash warriors, who were waiting in the alley darkness.  
"My warriors," she said. "Skywalker has escaped. And she has the boy. Find them, and kill his father. But bring Callista and Anakin to me alive. Tsin has plans for them--big plans."  
Within seconds, half a dozen speeder bikes emerged from the thick fog. Cray pointed the direction Callista had headed, then nodded. The warriors--one on each bike--raised their golden staffs into the air and took off in unison, their war cries sending a shiver of anticipation down Cray's spine.  
Callista didn't even stand a chance.  
Prince Xizor sat in his private chamber, stoically gazing at the viewscreen that displayed the boundless skyscrapers of Imperial City, wishing for nobody to disturb him until it was news from Boba Fett. He closed his eyes and relaxed, contemplating what had happened in the past few years.  
The galaxy thought he was dead, and rightly so. Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, had destroyed his skyhook in a battle orbit over Coruscant over a decade ago, just before the destruction of the second Death Star. Everyone had assumed that Xizor had been on board the skyhook when it had exploded.  
But what most people didn't know was that Xizor had discovered the wonderful technology of cloning before his demise.  
Years ago, Xizor had uncovered an ancient cloning facility deep within Coruscant's underground caverns. It had been around since the time of the Clone Wars, but it had been abandoned after the fall of the Old Republic, and eventually forgotten...until the day Xizor's men had discovered it.  
Realizing that he had many enemies--Vader and the Rebels being the chief ones--Xizor had ordered to have over a dozen clones of himself to be constructed in the laboratory using a piece of his skin tissue. The experiment was a success. Xizor kept all his clones in the lab for a long time, knowing that he would someday put them to good use.  
That fateful day finally arrived when Vader destroyed his skyhook. After hearing of his death, his Human Replica Droid companion, Guri, had returned to the cloning facility and awakened the first clone. The clone was an exact replica of the original Xizor: it contained the same features, the same scars, the same memories...  
Ever since the battle of Endor, and Vader's death--which Xizor was pleased to hear at that time--he had put his plans to work. Over the years, he kept his operation a secret underneath Coruscant, where no one could find him. He had an entire fleet raised, soldiers numbering in the millions- -  
--and the most powerful weapon of all, the Order of Kerash.  
The Order of Kerash had first been founded centuries ago, before the time of the Republic, before the time of the Sith. Little was known about them, for they dated pre-history. All Xizor had known about them was that they spanned three galaxies at their height, before a great war scattered them in different corners of the galaxy. They weren't exactly dark siders, for they did not use the Force in battle. Rather, they were something else. Something _different_...  
Xizor had been surprised to receive a visit from the leader of the Kerash, a woman by the name of Cray Mingla. She had claimed to have resurrected the ancient order, and was willing to join forces with him. Xizor had been skeptical at first, before she took them to the world of Anasazi (where the Order of Kerash originally came from). There, Xizor saw thousands of trained warriors, people who only knew one thing, and that was to fight. The two eventually signed a treaty that confirmed their alliance, and they became sworn enemies of the New Republic.  
All Xizor needed now was the daughter of Skywalker.  
_Skywalker..._ The name sent a burning wave of anger down Xizor's throat. Skywalker had been the man he had been after around the time of his death. He indirectly had been the cause of what had happened all those years ago, including the destruction of his beautiful palace.  
And now Skywalker had a child.  
Xizor had no interest in the girl's Force abilities. He merely wanted her for the ransom. With the daughter of the vaunted Jedi Master in his custody, the Republic would have no choice but to cooperate. That would be the first step in his plan to conquer the mighty government.  
That would come soon. Very, very soon.  
The door slid open, and Guri stepped into the room. "My Lord, I have good news."  
Xizor nodded. "Yes?"  
"Boba Fett has just contacted me from _Slave IV_. He has the child."  
Xizor allowed a smile to stretch across his green-skinned face. "Excellent. I knew I could count on him. Soon, the Republic will be brought to their knees." He looked at the Human Replica Droid. "Thank you, Guri."  
Guri nodded and left as quietly as she had arrived.  
Xizor laid back against his throne and heaved a relaxed sigh. "Very soon..."  
Callista groaned as she supported Han and carried a crying Anakin down the mist-infested street. It was an extremely demanding task, and one that she couldn't do for much longer if she didn't get help fast.  
She looked back over her shoulder to see if the stranger was following them. Thankfully, she wasn't.  
_Who was that person?_ she thought as she started to turn a corner. _Her voice...she sounded so familiar to me. But who..._  
"C-Callista?" Han was starting to come to.  
Callista nodded. "Hang in there, Han," she soothed. "We're almost out of here."  
"Wh-Where are we?" Han slurred, looking up at Callista's face. "You're hurt."  
"And you're even worse off," Callista pointed out. "Someone attacked you back there and knocked you out. You're in pretty bad shape. We need to get you a doctor."  
"Anakin," he said deliriously. "Where's my son?"  
Anakin wriggled from Callista's grip and ran to his father's side. "I'm here, Daddy," he said as he held Han's hand.  
Despite his wounds, Han managed a weak smile. "Glad to have you back," he said. "But...what about Hope?"  
Callista felt a pang at the mention of her daughter. "We still haven't found her yet. But we _will_."  
"Who the hell was that person who attacked me?" Han said, spitting out some blood. Anakin remained next to him, concerned.  
"I wish I knew," Callista said, trying not to think about it. "But we'll figure out all this later. First, we have to..."  
She was interrupted by a salvo of blaster shots that came out of nowhere, hitting the duracrete at their feet.  
"Sithspawn!" Callista cursed as she nearly lost her balance. She turned back to see where the shots had come from--  
--and gasped.  
Far off in the distance, but growing closer, was a group of speeder bikes, at least over half a dozen. They flew together in a perfect triangle, their cannons speaking with deadly laser fire. One bolt struck the glowpole next to the threesome, toppling it onto the street.  
"Run!" Callista shouted, and began doubling her speed, still supporting Han.  
But it did no good. Han was far taller than Callista, and twice her weight; far too heavy for her to carry all the way back to the turbolift. Callista herself was exhausted from her battle with the cloaked stranger, and was in no condition to run carrying a grown man and his son.  
Within seconds, she had slumped to the ground, unable to continue.  
"Aunt Callista, what are we going to do?" Anakin cried, on the verge of panicking.  
Callista took a deep breath. Calm...She had to remain calm. "Han, you and Anakin get out of here and hide. Go into one of the buildings, and don't come out until I say so."  
Han, predictably, disagreed. "You can't fight them all by yourself," he said. "You're gonna need help."  
"I know," Callista said back. "But look at you. You're hurt. If you try to fight them, you'll only get killed." She looked back to see the enemy moving closer and closer. "I'm going to contact Luke and Leia through the Force; they'll be here in a few minutes. But until that happens...I have to keep them busy."  
"I'm not leaving you," Han protested stubbornly.  
More cannon shots came at them, smashing through buildings and duracrete.  
"Go," Callista said, looking at Han and his son, using the only persuasion she knew that would make him change his mind--the Force. "_Now!_"  
Without argument, Han scooped Anakin up in his arms and limped over to the closest run-down building. He closed the door shut behind them, where they would be safe for the moment.  
Leaving Callista alone.  
Her eyes hardened as she watched the riders approach. She couldn't make out their faces; like the mysterious woman who had attacked her earlier, they wore black robes. _Luke_, she called out through the Force, knowing that he would hear her in a matter of seconds. _Leia...come quickly. I need your help..._  
"Come on, you sons of banthas," she growled, unbuckling her lightsaber from her belt. "Come and get some."  
The topaz blade burst to life with a _snap-hiss_. Callista held it out in front of her like a shield, ready to deflect any bolts that came her way.  
The riders continued firing, aiming with frightening accuracy. Several enormous bolts shot out in her direction like a group of shooting stars.  
Using the Force to guide her moves, Callista blocked bolt after bolt. Each impact was so powerful that it nearly knocked her off her feet, but she steadied herself. If she fell, she would be dead within seconds.  
The speeder bikes broke away from their triangular formation and began heading toward Callista in all directions, firing mercilessly.  
Callista moved fast, rolling away from another barrage of red-hot missiles. She took refuge behind a garbage dumpster, several bolts exploding over her head. Small pieces of granite began falling down on her like a miniature avalanche.  
Callista watched as the speeder bikes circled the street, searching for their prey. They obviously didn't see where she had gone. All the better for her.  
Suddenly, Callista had an idea.  
As one of the bikes sailed past her, the Jedi woman, drawing upon her physical and mental strength, leaped over the garbage dumpster, somersaulted high into the air like a human rocket, heading for the closest bike.  
Using her feet as a weapon, she kicked the rider of the speeder bike off, letting him--or her, she still couldn't tell--collide none too gently into the street. Callista settled herself in the driver's seat and readied her blaster cannons.  
The odds had suddenly improved in her favor.  
In the deep cold space near Corellia on a semi new looking ship, ice blue eyes watched the dot as it blazed across the screen before her. In a blink of an eye it flashed once and disappeared. Pounding the computer with a furry so hot that it could melt Hoth, she yelled, "Darn you, Boba Fett!" Pushing her siliverish white hair out of her face, she took a deep breath to calm herself and muttered, "No matter. The hyperspace jump will not hide you for long."  
Pulling up on some files she quickly skimmed through them. "If my information is correct, you have just finish your last job. So, now...... on Coruscant did you meet you new employer or your victim? Doesn't really matter ... at the moment." Switching on the holographic map she silently studied it severely, trying to predict where Boba Fett was heading to. After making her decision she swiftly made a slight flight adjustment, punched the coordinates in, pulled back the lever, and watched as the stars became streaks of light.  
Freeing herself from her crash webbing she tossed her dark blue cloak aside to reveal a midnight blue jumpsuit. Walking out of the cockpit she open a door with a touch of a button to reveal a room filled with weapons. Starting to the right and working her self around she studied each of them, closely. Half way into the room she carefully picked up what seemed to be a very, strange, silver hair piece that had an unusual sharp end, like a blade. Nodding once to herself she muttered, "It's always good to have an element of surprise on your side." Sliding it into her pocket for the moment, she continues to the next weapon.  
A Lightsaber! Gracefully she picked it up and studied it a couple seconds before clipping it to her belt with a single thought, _I might need this later_. After several minutes had past, she put a vibro knife into her right boot leg, grabbed a blaster, and headed back to the cockpit.  
After pulling her hair into a French twist she carefully inserted the deadly hair piece into her hair. Once done she looked up and promised, "I will pay you back, Boba Fett, for what you did to me and my family. I will not allow you to do what you did to them to anyone else, anymore. I swear it,"  
"Leia!" Luke called out as he ran to catch up with his sister. "We have got some serious trouble!"  
Leia turned to him, startled. "What is it, Luke? Did you find Hope and Anakin?"  
"No, but I found out something else. Something that may endanger the lives of our children." Luke stopped to take several deep breaths--he had had to run a good distance to find her--and continued. "I went to one of the local taverns, and the bartender told me that Black Sun wants Hope."  
Leia's eyes widened. "Black Sun?" she said, incredulous. "But--how? We defeated Black Sun years ago when Xizor was killed."  
"I know, it sounds crazy, but I can feel it," Luke said. "There's a dark malevolence here in Imperial City. An evil...and it wants my daughter."  
Leia still didn't seem entirely convinced.  
"Use the Force, Leia," he urged. "And you'll know it's true!"  
Leia finally acquiesed, and closed her eyes, summoning the powers she rarely used. For years, Luke had tried to have his sister open up more to the Force--for she had potential to become every bit as powerful as he was now--but for some reason, she always pulled back...as if she was afraid of using her mysterious powers.  
Leia suddenly gasped, one hand going up to her heart as if someone had just stabbed her. "You're right," she said, her eyes opening. "Luke, the Republic has to know about this as soon as possible. They have to know that Black Sun is on the rise again."  
"I know," Luke said, clamping his hand on her shoulder. "But first things first--let's find our children."  
"I just hope Black Sun hasn't found them yet," Leia murmured.  
As they started walking, Luke could hear Callista's voice scream in his head. _Luke, Leia, come quickly! I need your help! I've found Anakin, and Han is badly injured. We're under attack!_  
Luke let out a gasp of shock as he felt a deep coldness pierce his heart. He turned and saw Leia reacting the same. "Did you feel what I just felt?" he asked.  
Leia nodded. "It's Callista. I know where she is."  
Together, they ran.  
Callista fired up the speeder bike's repulsorjets to their fullest and sped toward her attackers, determined to take down every last one of them.  
It had been a long time she had navigated a speeder bike. The last she could she remember using one was during the Clone Wars, before she had infiltrated the *Eye of Palpatine*. It had been one of the most frightening experiences of her life, and she had barely survived it.  
Now, history seemed to be repeating itself.  
The rest of the speeder bike riders had now noticed Callista, and they sped toward her as one, their blaster cannons firing relentlessly.  
With the Force helping her, Callista anticipated each and every attack, and swerved aside to avoid the salvo. With her hair flying around her face, she sent the speeder bike toward her enemy.  
The closest rider, a few feet ahead of her, doubled its speed toward Callista, its cannons starting to glow with fire as it prepared to shoot.  
Callista bit her lower lip and waited for the right moment.  
When both speeder bikes were only inches away from each other, and the other began firing, Callista twisted to the right, and she ended up passing right below the other bike, her head nearly hitting the bottom of the vehicle. She ignited her lightsaber and sliced through its control vanes, sending the speeder bike spinning wildly out of control. Its rider shrieked--her voice indicating that it was a female--as she fell off and landed on the seat right behind Callista's bike.  
Callista turned her head around, startled, and met eyes with the cloaked woman.  
The woman laughed. "Skywalker, I have you now--"  
Callista's elbow greeted the woman's face, knocking her off the speeder bike.  
"Two down," she said as she prepared to continue the battle. "Four more to go."  
Callista swerved the speeder bike around so that she was facing the four remaining attackers.  
The four speeders had formed a tight circle, wary of Callista this time. Apparently, they were not going to take anymore chances with her; they had underestimated her at first, and their companions had paid for that.  
Callista gritted her teeth. This was make the fight even harder to win than before.  
As she powered up her blaster cannons, she risked a glance toward where Han and Anakin were hiding. She could barely make out Anakin's face staring out through one of the boarded windows. His eyes were wide with fear and concern for his aunt, but she could hear him through the Force, silently urging her on.  
Callista gave her nephew a quick nod, and sped toward her opponents.  
Both sides fired at each other, lighting the empty street with the fire of their laser blasts, eerily resembling the fireworks the people on Chad would fire into the sky during winter solstice. Callista twisted, turned, and swerved, avoiding the blasts headed in her direction. Almost almost singed off her left leg, drawing a Chadrian curse from her.  
_Too close,_ she thought.  
Two of the speeder bikes sped ahead of their companions. The cloaked riders drew out weapons from their robes. From the looks of it, they looked like staffs made out of solid gold. The riders twirled their weapons in the air, showing off their impressive combat skills.  
Callista was thoroughly not impressed.  
_Let's see how well they can hold up against a lightsaber_, Callista thought to herself with a small smile as she reignited her Jedi weapon.  
The three speeder bikes quickly closed the gap between them. The mysterious riders swung their staffs in unison, aiming to strike at Callista's head with enough force to knock it off her shoulders.  
Callista's blade came up to shield her face, smashing squarely into both staffs at the same time. The weapons were both severed into two neat halves. The force of Callista's attack was powerful enough to knock both riders off their seats and crash into the hard duracrete, knocking them out cold.  
Leaving two more.  
The third rider--using this moment to his advantage--attacked Callista from the side seconds after she was done with his two companions, taking her by surprise. Callista was unable to move away in time as he rammed his speeder full force into hers.  
Callista cried out as her speeder bike veered off course, heading for a head-on collison with one of the run-down buildings.  
Without wasting a moment, Callista leaped off her doomed vehicle. Using the Force to safely propel her away, she landed on the other side of the street and watched as her speeder bike crashed into the building and climaxed into a spectacular explosion that lit up the entire street, debris falling in all directions.  
Her attacker zoomed in for the kill, his blaster cannon already firing at her. Callista ducked, barely evading the blasts that would have disintegrated her if she hadn't seen them coming. Now that her speeder was destroyed, the two remaining riders had her at a disadvantage.  
Callista held her lightsaber in a fighting stance and waited until the speeder bike was inches away from her. She could see the rider whipping out another of the gold staffs, preparing to strike her down.  
Callista could feel her palms sweating, her heart beating at the anxiety of being several seconds away from death. _Come on, come on..._  
The rider swung his staff in a wide arc for Callista's head--  
Just as she attacked with her lightsaber, the topaz blade cutting through the staff like cheese. As the rider recoiled, half of his weapon clatterin to the floor, Callista reached out with her arms, grabbed him by the collar of his robe, and pulled him unceremoniously to the ground.  
Ignoring the fallen man, Callista leaped atop the speeder bike and sat herself down, readying the blaster cannons. She fired up the jets and spun around--  
--to face the final rider.  
The cloaked rider--a woman, Callista sensed--had been hanging in the background during the entire fight, silently watching as Callista methodically took her companions down one by one. This one was going to be interesting to fight.  
"You must be the leader of this group!" Callista shouted across the street. "Kinda cowardly to sit back and let your goons do all the dirty work, don't you think?"  
"Good guess," the rider replied, and it was most definitely a woman. She pulled back her hood, revealing a young, beautiful woman around the age of twenty-five or six. She almost looked humanoid, with milky-white skin, short black hair, and eyes that burned green in the dark. Callista could make out tattoos of half-moons and fish embedded in her opponent's cheeks. "I'm Armenia, the second-in-command of Kerash."  
Callista looked on at the woman, startled *Kerash?*  
Armenia let out an ululating shriek of challenge as she charged at full-speed toward Callista.  
The two speeder bikes met each other in a blinding flash of light as blaster bolts danced all around them, none striking their intended target.  
Callista swerved her bike so that she was ride side-by-side with Armenia, close enough to scrape the other speeder bike.  
Armenia screamed as she struck at Callista with her gold-covered staff. She ducked, and it sailed past her head with a deafening _swoosh_. Armenia snarled, enraged that her opponent had not died--apparently, she had never fought someone of Callista's caliber before--and tried for a second blow, this time heading for Callista's shoulder.  
Callista brought her Jedi weapon up, the hilt knocking aside the incoming staff. Armenia struck several more times, but each blow was blocked by the hilt of Callista's lightsaber. The two riders sped down the street, exchanging blows.  
As Callista fought, she realized that this woman was not Force- sensitive, and yet she was impressively holding her own against a Jedi Knight. No being in the universe, no matter how physically strong, could possible beat a Jedi in combat, especially if said Jedi was armed with a lightsaber.  
There was something about this woman and her companions, Callista knew. Something about her that she wasn't sure of yet...  
_Kerash..._  
Armenia swung her staff at her again, and by now, Callista had had enough. With a single slash of her lightsaber, she cleaved through the staff, slicing it in half. The top half of the weapon fell to the ground, now useless in the battle.  
Weaponless, Armenia uttered a wordless cry of rage, and leaped off her speeder, body-slamming into Callista with surprisingly powerful strength. The two women were both knocked off and fell crashing into the street. Callista tried to erect a Force shield around her body to protect herself, but her mind was in such a dark turmoil that she couldn't concentrate. She braced herself as she sailed through the air, ready for the worst.  
Seconds later, it came.  
Callista and Armenia hit the hard duracrete with enough force to knock out a grown ronto and continued rolling, unable to stop. Every cell in Callista's body screamed with pain, and Callista felt something crunch-- either arm or her leg, she couldn't tell. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the two unattended speeder bikes slam into the ground and burst into flames. Finally, she stopped rolling when she hit the side of a building, trying to breathe again.  
Armenia was lying a few feet away, looking as bad as Callista did. Her body was dotted with cuts, lacerations, and bruises, and blood seeped out of her nose and mouth. Groaning, she started to get back up.  
Callista was up in a second, ignoring the shiver of pain that shot through her body. Grabbing her lightsaber, she ran over to the downed woman and held the blade up to her neck, preventing her from getting to her feet.  
Despite her weakened state, Armenia still managed a small. "You won't kill me," she said arrogantly. "Jedi aren't supposed to kill."  
Callista pursed her lips as she slowly brought her lightsaber back. "You're right," she said. "I _won't_ kill you."  
She landed a powerful kick into Armenia's face. A satisfying crack resonated in the street as Armenia fell back, out like a glowbulb.  
"Sweet dreams," Callista said in disgust.  
"Callista!"  
She turned at the sound of her name and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Luke, Leia, and the Republic guards running toward her.  
"Luke," she said weakly as she embraced her husband. "Took you guys long enough."  
"Sorry," he said with a laugh, then looked at the cloaked bodies strewn all over the street, and the burning wreckage. "Looks like we missed some fun. Who are these guys?"  
"That's what I'd like to know," Callista said.  
Luke turned toward the guards. "Cuff them, and take them to the Imperial prison. We'll question them later."  
Leia looked anxiously around the street. "Where are Han and Anakin?"  
"Mommy!" Anakin squealed as he bounded out of the building and ran into his mother's arms.  
"Anakin, my son!" Leia said as she gratefully kissed him, tears of relief pouring down her face. "Thank the Force you're still alive. I had thought I had lost you forever."  
"Mommy, Daddy's hurt," Anakin said.  
"Don't worry, he's going to be all right," Leia said as she kissed him again, holding onto him for dear life, as if she was afraid she would lose him again if she let go. "Don't ever leave me again, Anakin, do you understand? You had us all worried sick."  
Anakin looked down at his feet, avoiding his mother's face. "I'm sorry, Mommy," he said, ashamed. "It won't happen again." He looked around at the group and asked curiously, "Where's Hope? Did you guys find her?"  
Leia, Luke, and Callista all exchanged worried glances. Callista felt a deep sorrow as she realized that they still hadn't found her daughter.  
Luke must have felt her emotions, for he laid a comforting hand on her arm. "We'll find her, Callista," he said.  
Callista nodded. "I know," she said, although she wasn't sure she believed her own words.  
Hope finally regained unconsciousness, which was immediately followed by an unpleasant surge of pain. She blinked groggily, her gray eyes adjusting to her new surroundings. Where in the name of the Force was she...  
The last thing she recalled was the scary-looking monster--from what she remembered, his name was Boba Fett--grabbing her by the arm and knocking her out with a stun beam. Was she on his ship now? And if so, where was he going to take her?  
_This place is scary_, Hope thought, silently whimpering in fear. _I wish Mommy and Daddy were here._  
She managed to steady herself weakly on her feet, and looked around the small cell. The room was empty, devoid of any furniture. Not even a meager cot for her to lay on. _This Boba Fett guy is not very hospitable,_ she said to herself.  
Hope went over to the cell door, and saw that it was locked. Angrily, she banged against the hard metal, yelling, "Open up! Open this stupid door!"  
No one answered.  
Hope sighed, and tried again. "My Daddy's a Jedi Master! And when he finds out that I'm missing, he's gonna be very mad, and he'll beat you up. So if you know what's good for you, open this door _now_!" She banged her fists against the door, nearly breaking her fingers.  
But no one answered.  
Hope moved away from the door, sucking on her sore knuckles. _Stupid people_, she thought to herself. _When my Daddy gets here, you're gonna be in a lotta trouble._  
As she looked around, her eyes still growing accustomed to the dim light that shone from the ceiling, she wondered briefly what had happened to Anakin. Was he still in the Underworld, lost? Did Boba Fett want him too?  
_That stupid Anakin. This is all his fault. I told him I didn't want to go down into the lower levels, but noooooooooo...  
_Hope stopped in mid-sentence as she realized she was lying to herself. If there was someone to blame for all this, it would have to be _her_. For it was _her_ idea to leave the apartment, _her_ to go out and have some fun in the Underworld. Mommy and Daddy had told her several times about the dangers of Coruscant's lower levels, that it was no place for little children. And despite their warnings, she had deliberately disobeyed them.  
And, to make things worse, she had dragged Anakin along with her. Now he was lost as well, without anyone to help him. And she would probably never see him again.  
Tears started to well up in Hope's eyes, and she sunk to the floor, cursing herself for her stupidity.  
The door to the cell suddenly slid open, and Hope looked up, unable to stifle a gasp. A tall, green-skinned humanoid entered the room, looking down at her with kind eyes.  
"Why are you crying, my child?" he asked in a sweet voice. "Don't be afraid; I mean you no harm."  
Hope stood up, awestruck by this new person. He was pretty handsome...for an alien. His skin was as green as grass--_kinda like a Rodian_, Hope thought, _but they're ugly and smelly, and have big, stupid bug-eyes_--and he was bald save for a single black ponytail hanging from the back of his head. He was dressed in the prettiest robes Hope had ever seen. _He must be very rich,_ she thought.  
"Who are you?" she finally asked.  
The handsome man smiled. "I'm a friend. This is my home."  
Hope looked around the small cell. "I feel sorry for you," she said.  
The man chuckled. "No, no. This is just the guest room. My real home is outside this door. And trust me, child, it is quite breathtaking."  
"Why did you bring me here?" asked Hope.  
"I've heard so much about you," the handsome man said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you are Hope Skywalker, the daughter of the vaunted Jedi Master."  
Hope was startled by this. He knew her name! But how...  
"Yes, I am," she said. "How did you know--?"  
"My dear, _everyone_ knows about you," the handsome man replied. "You are quite the famous child."  
Hope had to smile about that. "Famous?" she said. "Get out of town!"  
"No, it's true. In a few years, you will probably become one of the most famous figures in the New Republic. You will more than likely take your father's place as head of the Jedi Academy. Just imagine...Hope Skywalker, Jedi Master."  
Hope smiled even wider. "Me? A Jedi Master?"  
The man nodded.  
"Well, I don't wanna brag, but I _am_ pretty strong in the Force. Did you ever hear the story of how I single-handedly saved my Mommy and Daddy from death on Dathomir when I was only a baby."  
The man gasped. "You _did_? That's wonderful."  
"Yep, and I didn't have _any_ help from _anyone_ at all."  
"Well, I must say, I am quite impressed," the handsome man said. "And that was only when you were an infant. Just imagine all the good you can do when you're an adult."  
Hope beamed. This guy was turning out to be pretty neat. Then a thought occurred to her. "Hey, you still haven't answered my question. Why did you bring me here?"  
"Because nothing would honor me more than to have the daughter of the legendary Skywalker be a guest in my home. Just a few days is all I ask. After that, I will personally escort you back home."  
Hope thought about this. He _did_ seem to be really nice. But something still troubled her. "But why did that Boba Fett guy have to be so mean to me?"  
The man waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Don't worry about Fett. He's just not very good with children. I will personally make sure that he is fired at once without delay."  
Hope smiled wickedly. "Yeah, and feed him to the space slugs!"  
"It shall be done." The man smiled and took Hope by the hand. "Come, Hope Skywalker. Let me show you my home."  
Hope shrugged and followed him out of the yucky cell. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.


	3. Memories

Chapter 3  
  
Callista, Luke, Leia, and Han--who had just spent over an hour recuperating in a bacta tank--sat in the waiting room of the Imperial Palace as the New Republic guards interrogated the captured prisoners for information. It had been almost four hours since they had brought the six mysterious warriors, and so far, they had refused to cooperate.  
Callista rubbed her bandaged arm, which had been broken in her fight with Armenia. She had been offered to be placed in a bacta tank for a few hours, but she had vehemently refused. She had already been in a bacta tank before, and she did not like it at all.  
Luke sat by her side, laying his hand on top of hers. "It'll be all right, Callista," he said in a soothing voice.  
Normally, Callista would be comforted by his words, even his very presence, but not this time. "I can't calm down, Luke," she said. "I just can't. My daughter is still missing, and if what you're telling me about Black Sun is true, there's no telling--"  
"Shhh," Luke said, softly stroking her hair. "I know exactly what you're feeling, but we have to stay calm. Panic isn't going to bring Hope back."  
"Neither is staying calm," Callista said through clenched teeth.  
Luke cast a worried glance at Han and Leia, then turned back to his wife. "Perhaps...but it'll make you feel better. I promise."  
Callista violently shook her head. "Nothing will make me feel better until I have my child back. And these bastards know where she is. I can feel it."  
Luke kissed his wife on the cheek, wishing he could do more for her. But Callista's thoughts were dark with despair and anger. She wasn't angry at anyone in particular; she just felt that she needed to take it out on someone. Anyone.  
"I've informed Mon Mothma and the other members of the Senate of Black Sun," Leia said, attempting to change the subject. "I'll have every last man in my disposal comb the entire city. We'll find them sooner or later."  
"That's not enough!" Callista snapped, standing up from her seat. "Leia, you don't seem to get it, do you? Black Sun wants my daughter, my daughter, do you hear me? We need to find them immediately!"  
"I know that," Leia said coolly. "We're doing everything we can, but-- "  
"Yeah, and you're doing a real bang-up job so far," Callista cut in, glaring gray daggers at Han and Leia. "If I remember, we trusted Hope with you. And look what happened! She's gone now, no thanks to you."  
Leia was taken aback by her sharp comment. "Callista..."  
"No, I don't want to hear it!" Callista said, almost on the verge of screaming. "This whole mess is *your* fault!"  
Luke stood up and grabbed Callista by the arm, trying to quiet her down. "Callista--"  
"I trusted you both! And you let my daughter go down into one of the most dangerous areas in the galaxy. Well, you can be sure that I won't ask any more favors from you ever again!"  
"Callista--"  
"And now you all expect me to be calm, when my own daughter is running around in Imperial City without her parents, without anyone she knows? Do you have any idea how terrified I am, that she may be lying dead in an alley somewhere at this very moment?"  
"Callista--"  
"Well, do you? Of course not, you could never understand--"  
"Callista!" Luke tightened his grip on her arm, hard enough to almost bruise. "What's going on with you? This isn't like you."  
"Well, I'm kind of sick of losing my children!" Callista shot back.  
Han stood up, apparently having enough of this. "Look, Callista, I'm sorry about Hope, but don't you dare put this mess on our shoulders. She's your daughter; you should've known fully well that she would've attempted something like this. And may I add, she also put my own son in danger!"  
"Yeah, but you got your son back," Callista said. "Which is more than I can say for Hope."  
"Callista, we will find your daughter," Han said. "I promise. Nothing is going to happen to her."  
"You mean like nothing happened to your kids when Hethrir kidnapped them?" Callista shot back. "Looks like you can't even take care of your own kids, right?"  
Han stepped forth, his nostrils flaring. "Don't you ever, ever, say that about my kids again!"  
"Some father you turned out to be!" Callista shouted.  
Just as the two seemed to almost come to blows, Luke stepped in the way like a barrier. "This stops now!" he said, turning to Callista. Not angry, but shocked, and even hurt. "Callista, you're out of control."  
Callista continued glaring at Han, who likewise stared back at her, his eyes hardened.  
Just then, the lead guard stepped into the hallway. "Looks like I'm in the middle of something," he said, looking from one adult to the other. "Is everything okay?"  
Callista sighed. "Yeah," she said, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Just fine."  
Luke turned to the guard. "So, how'd it go?"  
"Not good," he replied. "They refuse to tell us anything. No matter what we do, their lips are sealed."  
"Then let me do the persuasion," Callista said in a low, menacing voice.  
Before Luke could object to that, she was already heading for the interrogation room.  
She reached the door that led into the torture chamber a few minutes later. She entered the code needed to open the door. When it refused to budge. Callista smashed the door open with the Force.  
Behind her, she could hear Luke call out her name as he tried to stop her. She ignored him and entered the room.  
The six Kerash warriors stood in the middle of the room, their hands and feet cuffed together. The Republic guards had just finished the interrogation and prepared to take them to their cells.  
Callista ground her teeth together as she strode toward the nearest warrior.  
"Um, Mrs. Skywalker," one of the guards said as he stepped in her way, "you're not supposed to be here--"  
Callista knocked the man aside with a powerful Force blow and continued on, grabbing the closest Kerash warrior by the collar of his robe and slamming him none too gently against the wall.  
"All right, talk to me," she said, her face close enough to touch the warrior's. "Where is Hope?"  
By this time, Luke, Leia, Han, and the lead guard had entered the room. "Callista!" Luke shouted.  
"Go kiss a ronto's ass," the man whispered, his breath hot on her face.  
Callista growled and threw a punch that knocked the Kerash warrior to his knees, his jaw broken from the impact. One hand went up to his mouth, and he looked up at the woman who had hit him, fury and defiance in his eyes.  
"Callista, stop this now!" Luke demanded.  
"Shut up, Luke," Callista snapped. "They know where Hope is. They just won't tell us." She lifted the man up by his neck, pinning him against the wall. "Now, I'm gonna ask you one last time. Tell me where my daughter is, or I'm going to rip your throat out."  
"Callista, this isn't going to bring Hope back," Leia said.  
The man's eyes met Callista, and in them, she could see fear. "I don't know where your precious daughter is," he said, his voice muffled due to his broken jaw.  
Callista replied by closing his windpipe with the Force, blocking the air to his lungs. "You're going to tell me everything you know," she said, her voice pouring with venom. "Or I'm gonna torture you so bad that you'll wish you were dead."  
"Callista, let him go!" Luke said.  
The man fell to his knees as he strained to breathe. Blood started to drip down his nose as oxygen stopped flowing into his lungs. His eyes looked up at Callista, pleading.  
"Let him go!" Armenia shouted, and started toward Callista, but was pulled back by one of the guards.  
"You want me to kill you, don't you?" Callista said, amused, as the Kerash warrior slowly died. "Stupid."  
"Callista, please don't do this," Luke said, now begging. He ran to his wife's side and pulled her by the arm so that she was facing him. "You're killing him."  
"He deserves to die!" Callista said, and gestured at the other warriors. "They all do! They took my daughter away from me, and they won't tell me where she is!" Warm tears began running down her cheeks.  
"Look at him!" Luke said, pointing toward the dying warrior. "He's afraid of you. He doesn't know where Hope is. And if you kill him, it'll bring you one step closer to the dark side." He leaned in to Callista's face. "Jedi do not kill."  
Callista wiped the tears from her eyes as she met her husband's gaze, then looked back at the Kerash warrior, who was seconds away from death as the life slowly left his body.  
She released her hold on him.  
The man collapsed to the floor, heaving in several gulps of air. He looked up at Callista and Luke, shrinking back in fear. "Please don't hurt me," he begged, on the verge of tears. "I don't know where she is. I swear I don't. Just don't kill me...please."  
Callista stepped away from them both, her mind barely able to register what was happening. More tears fell from her eyes as she met the gaze of everyone in this chamber.  
"Oh, stars," she sobbed. "I'm sorry, Luke. I'm so sorry..."  
Then, without another word, she fled the room.  
Luke found Callista in the waiting room, sitting in the corner, staring at the wall. He sat beside her and reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. "Please," she whispered dejectedly. "Don't touch me." The last was choked off by the lump forming in her throat. She refused to look at her husband, ashamed of what she had done.  
Luke sighed. "Callista, what happened in there?"  
Callista leaned forward, jabbing her elbows into her thighs and raking her fingers through her disheveled curls. "I don't know. I have no idea what's going on with me."  
She tried unsuccessfully to hide a quiet sob. "I feel so lost, Luke. How could I say what I said to Han and Leia?"  
Luke rubbed his hand up and down her back, and this time she didn't try to pull away. "They're just as scared as we are. On one level, they feel guilty that they let Hope and Anakin get away like that, and they're worried that we may not find her."  
"But we will, Luke. If I have to die to get her back, so be it. I just want her back, safe." She sat up and rested her head on his shoulder.  
Luke stroked her hair, and kissed the top of her head. "We'll get her back, honey. I promise you that."  
A few hours later, after putting the kids to bed, Leia closed the door to her room and looked at Han, clearly concerned. "Han, I'm worried about Callista," she said softly.  
"Tell me about it," Han agreed. "I've never seen her like that before."  
"She's scared," Leia said. "That's sort of how I felt when Hethrir took our children. I was so overcome with anger that I wanted to hurt something. I even blamed Chewie for what had happened." Leia shivered as those horrible events that happened years ago returned to her mind.  
Han looked up at her. "You mean, like how she blames us now?"  
"She wasn't completely wrong, Han," Leia conceded. "We were supposed to watch over her daughter. We weren't as strict with her as we should have been."  
"But that doesn't excuse what she did to that man," Han pointed out. "Leia, she almost killed him."  
Leia nodded. "I know, and you're right, of course. But still...I know what she's going through. And I can't say I blame her." She sighed as she sat down on the bed next to her husband. "I'm just glad our son is safe."  
"Yeah," Han said in a hoarse voice. Leia rested her head on his shoulder, feeling some of the tension in her gut go away. "But what about Hope?"  
"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I can only imagine that the poor girl is alone and probably scared to death."  
"Mmmmmm! More food!" Hope shouted to the cook as she hungrily gulped down the delicious food on the table.  
The handsome man--his name was Xizor, he had said--sat across from the dining table, watching with a smile as she ate. This guy had some of the best food she had ever tasted: bantha steak, chocolate pudding, spiced runyip patties, sand panther meat rolls, potato rice, and best of all, alcohol-free juri juice, her favorite drink.  
The human cook entered the dining room and set a plate of Ithorian spaghetti down in front of Hope. "Here you go, Mistress Skywalker," he said.  
"About time!" Hope said as she dug in. "Now hurry up with the dessert."  
Xizor chuckled. "I see Boba Fett did not properly feed you on your journey here."  
Hope snorted. "Yeah, tell me about it. Mmmmm, this stuff is good. Much better than what my parents feed me."  
"Oh, really? What do they feed you?"  
"Stuff like health cubes," Hope said as she took a gulp of juice. "They say it's good for me, but trust me when I say that it's the yuckiest stuff in the galaxy."  
"Well, don't you worry," Xizor said. "Because as long as your here, you'll never have to eat health cubes again."  
"Cool!" Hope said. "You know, Xizor, you're pretty neat."  
Xizor smiled even wider. "Well, I do try."  
Hope let out a massive burp. "Excuse me," she said. She turned back to the kitchen. "Hey, where the heck is my dessert."  
The cook poked his head out of the kitchen door. "Mistress, give me a few more minutes and--"  
"That's it! You're fired!"  
"But, Mistress, I--"  
Hope responded by throwing her plate against the wall. The cook whimpered and dashed quickly out of the room.  
Xizor laughed and clapped. "Very impressive. You take after your grandfather, indeed."  
"Thanks, I think," Hope said as she chewed on a breadstick.  
"Same fire, same commanding presence," Xizor said, starting intently at the little girl, as if he was looking beyond her eyes and seeing what was inside her. "You have the same darkness inside you."  
"Uh...no. I have blood and guts inside me. I don't know anything about any darkness."  
The handsome man laughed. "That was a metaphor, my dear."  
"A mephador?" Hope tried sounding the word out. "What the heck is that?"  
"A metaphor," Xizor explained, "is simply comparing two very different things. Like if I said, "My inner thoughts are a violent storm", that's a metaphor."  
Hope looked at him blankly. "Huh?"  
"Don't worry, you'll understand when you're older." Xizor stood. "Guri!"  
Xizor's lady friend, Guri, stepped into the dining chamber. "My Lord?"  
"Make sure the little girl is given a bath."  
"Awwww." Hope hated baths. They were the most boringest thing in the entire galaxy. "But I'm not finished."  
"We'll save it for later," Xizor assured her. "And look at you. You're a mess from all that food."  
"But I don't need a bath," Hope complained loudly. "I can just wipe it off with my hand."  
"Now, now, Hope, no more backtalk, or I'll send you to your room." He turned to Guri. "Take her to the cleaning chamber."  
Hope groaned as the weird lady took her by the hand and led her out of the dining room.  
Xizor watched as the two left, then chuckled softly to himself. The little girl was proving to be quite the company.  
Too bad he would have to kill her once the ransom was paid.  
"You're not going to kill her," a voice said from the shadows.  
Xizor was not at all surprised to find Cray here. "How long have you been here?" he asked as the woman stepped into the light.  
"A few hours," Cray said. "I've been watching the girl for quite some time now, Prince Xizor. She has so much power, which is to be expected since she is the daughter of Skywalker. And I will use all that power to my advantage."  
Xizor scoffed. "You plan to make her a Dark Jedi?"  
Cray laughed. "Oh, no, not at all. Hope is the key we need to bring Kerash back into the galaxy."  
Xizor turned to her, confused. "I'm not sure I understand. What exactly is the Kerash?"  
"That is none of your business," Cray said, as she turned to leave the dining room. "Now, I must go. I am going to have a little meeting with Callista."  
"You seem to harbor a good deal of hatred for Skywalker's woman," Xizor brilliantly pointed out. "Why is that?"  
Cray locked eyes with him, and Xizor couldn't help but shudder at the weight of her gaze. "Because she killed me."  
Without another word, she left.  
In her ship, Silver Wings, Leanna sat in her seat with her legs draped over the arm rest. While munching on a nutrient bar, she began to sort things out in a box when suddenly something silver fell from a small  
opened box to the floor. Sighing, she set the other items to the floor, swung her legs around, stood up, and walked towards the fallen object. Picking it up, it revealed to be a locket necklace containing pictures of her family. Leanna froze as memories of that fatal day came flashing back.  
It was a cloudy afternoon, and Leanna just got back from her class when she heard her mother's voice yell out, "Leanna Harmony Kai, get your butt in this house this instant." Breaking out into a full pledge run, she barreled into the door only to get tackled by her older brother's bear hug. "Happy life day, little sis," he whispered into her ear. With a sparkle in his light blue eyes, he ruffled her hair as he ordered, "Now go see Mom." Pulling herself from her brother's grasp she mumbled, "just wait until your next life day," then with lightening quick action she knocked the hat off her brother's head exposing his slightly darker sliverish white hair as she said, "no hats on in the house!"  
Picking up his hat, smiling, he asked, "Who made that rule?"  
"Me."  
Cocking one eyebrow he questioned, "Since when did you become the boss, oh mighty sister?"  
Grinning she replied, "Since now." Chuckling, he winked once and said, "Well, little boss, go see Mom."  
"Fine."  
Before she got to the kitchen, however, two tiny hands snatched hold of her ankle. Looking at her little sister she asked, "What are you up to, kid-o?"  
As if to answer her question the child lifted her arms up. After being picked up she gurgled, "Happy life day, sis."  
Laughing quietly, Leanna rubbed her nose against her sister's and said, "Thank you, young one."  
"Welcome."  
Setting her down near her toys to play again, Leanna headed into the kitchen and was hit by the aroma of freshly made cookies. Reaching for one of the closest cookie she only succeed in getting lightly swatted away by her mother and met with the look that said, 'you can wait until after dinner.'  
Sighing, Leanna grumbled, "You do understand that this..." Waving her hand towards the cookies, " is torture, right?"  
Nodding her head, her white hair bobbling with her, she smiled, and said, "Of course I do. Your brother and father inform me every year." Gathering her daughter into her arms she whispered in her ear, "happy life day, sweetheart. Now go see your dad. He said something about getting the sparring mats out..."  
"Finally." Breaking out of her mother arms she ran toward the screen doors that lead toward the porch, to see her father standing in the middle of the mats, grinning.  
Stretching his arms he winked and said, "Happy life day, Lea. So how many spankings do I get to give you today, nine?"  
Rolling her eyes, she stepped on the mat as she replied, "Only if you defeat me in the sparring match and I have improve greatly since last year, dad."  
"We'll find out won't we?" As they got ready to spar a blast rocked the house. "What the..."  
Looking at the sky she noticed a certain kind of ship and thought, Boba Fett here? But why?  
Following her dad she started to asked him but he interrupted saying "Get away from the house, Leanna."  
"But..."  
"Just do it."  
"Not without all of you." She said defiantly as she ran around her dad, through the house, and picked up her little sister.  
A second blast came shortly followed by crash from behind her. Looking sharply behind her, Leanna eyes widened in horror at the fully collapsed kitchen door and most likely the kitchen itself, "Mom ... Dad...."  
As she was about to put her sister down to help her parents she felt her brother dragging her towards the front door. Struggling, she protested, " But Mom and Dad are in there. We have to help them."  
Continuing to drag her toward the front door he told her regretfully, "It's too late, sis. It's too late."  
No, it can't be too late....  
Suddenly a third blast rocked the house sending the roof crashing right above them. Nooooo! Leanna mentally screamed, squeezing her eyes shut. Suddenly, the wood and metal shards flew to the side as if an invisible hand had smacked them away, all except one. It fell unseen, smacking her brother on the head, hard. It knocked him to the floor, unconscious, with a deep gash on the back of his head. Shaking her head in denial Leanna stared at her brother's body. "This can't be happening."  
A couple of seconds later she heard the sounds of a ship landing.  
Reacting as quickly as possible with her shaking hands, she set her sister down, ripped part of her shirt into bandages, and started to wrapped her brother's wound tightly, hoping to at least slow the bleeding. Once done, she look at the house quickly, seeing it ready to collapse any moment. She picked her sister up then whispered hoarsely, "Hold on brother... I'll be back, I promise." She carried her sister over the fallen timbers and out of the house. Moving quickly, she carried her sister to the shed. Punching the button with her free hand, the door slid open. Setting her behind a pile of junk, she said to her, "Now, listen up, sweetheart. I need you to stay here out of sight. I be back for you."  
"Promise?" Her little sister asked with her emerald eyes pleading. "Promise." With that Leanna headed back to house running as fast as she possibly could. Getting to her brother, she quickly checked his pulse, sighing in relief that it was still there even though it was weak. Being careful to not bump any of his known injures she started to move him slowly to the door, moving objects when necessary. Once she got him out of the house she heard  
her sister scream, "LEA!!!"  
Lowering her brother gentle to the ground she took off towards the scream. Once closer she saw the form of her struggling sister in Boba Fett's arms. Putting the last of her energy into her flight she shrieked at the bounty hunter, "LET MY SISTER GO!!!" Boba Fett half-turned and fired two quick shots at Leanna. Following her instincts, Leanna threw herself into a shoulder roll, missing the blaster fire by a hair's width. Rolling to her feet she continue to run after Boba Fett. Suddenly, Boba Fett turned and instead of the blaster fire she expected, a stun beam rendered her unconscious.  
Clenching her hand over the necklace's smooth surface, Leanna closed her eyes and took deep breaths to calm herself, I told my sister that I would be back for her and I will not break that promise. I will find her even if I have to scour every corner of the galaxy to do it. Opening the locket she stared lovingly at the holo-pictures there, tracing the picture of a small child no older than two. I will find you, little sis and bring you home again. No matter what, I promise.  
Narrowing her eyes she glared at nothing while saying, "I will make you tell me what you did to her, Boba Fett and I will make you pay." Looking at the farthest picture on the left, Leanna felt her heart tear even more. Swallowing a lump in her throat she thought, Big bro, I miss you so much. It's been so long since you fell into a coma. But yet, it feels like yesterday. Please wake up, I miss your jokes. I miss you. Slipping the necklace back into the small box, she started to repack everything into the bigger box and carried it into the cargo hold.  
Walking into her quarters she sighed and said, "Come on, brother. Come back to me, I don't think a can handle another death in the family."  
Changing briefly into her black cotton night clothes, she climbed into bed, careful of the knife in her hair. Closing her eyes Leanna let herself to relax.  
It was dark and foggy, but she recognized it anyway. She was on one of the lower levels of Coruscant. Through darkness she could make out two figures, one was a small girl struggling to get away from ....Boba Fett. Trying with all her might, she realized that she couldn't move. Realizing that this was only a dream she allowed the events to fold out. She watched as he stunned the child.  
Then, everything went black. After a short few moments, five figures appeared. One was the small child from before, another was a small boy, who seem to struggling against two of the three cloaked people. Sounds of fighting could be heard coming from the darkness, but it never came any closer. The little girl was screaming something with tears running down her face, but Leanna couldn't hear what she said. A sudden wind blew the hood of the third cloak person down revealing a child about ten years old. Her emerald eyes sparkled with an evil light. Waving her hand a door appeared. Slowly, creaking loudly, the door opened to reveal three bloody corpses.  
There was a woman and a man and the third was...her!  
Three deactivated lightsabers floated in a different corner about the bodies. All of a sudden, they activated, one green, one yellow, one a sliverish white, but stayed in their separate corners. The darkness of the shadows seeped toward them and the lightsabers started to flicker. As the blades were about to flicker out they flew to the middle of the room into a perfect circle, each blade crossing the other. Each blade gaining strength from the other. As the blades grew brighter the darkness shrunk and eventually disappeared all together and with it the three corpses faded from sight along with every evidence of them being there--except for the three shining lightsabers.  
Snapping her eyes open, Leanna took a couple of deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Throwing the covers off she got out of bed and headed towards the cockpit. Following her gut instinct she pulled her ship from hyperspace and began to think. I should keep going after Boba Fett, he can give me the answers that I seek, but my instincts are screaming at me to go in another direction. Making her decision she plotted a slight flight adjustment, and pulled back the lever, throwing her ship back into hyperspace. Settling down in her seat she said to herself, "I don't know what that dream meant, if anything at all, and I don't think I want to know... But if my feelings are right then I'll find my answers soon enough." Grabbing a datapad she skimmed through it, thinking, I may be wrong, but I learned to trust my instincts a long time ago.  
Callista laughed at tossed her wet hair back over her shoulders. She stood knee-deep in the surf with her brother, Josef, throwing a ball back and forth. She threw it hard, and Josef dove under the water to get it. As he did, another wave rolled over him. He stood up, sputtering. "You did that on purpose!" he shouted.  
Callista was laughing so hard she couldn't answer. Josef ran and tackled her, knocking them both into the water. They wrestled until they were beyond breathless.  
"Kids!" Mama called for them from the little beach house. "Time for lunch!"  
Josef and Callista jumped up with a cheer, suddenly realizing how hungry they were. They raced for the house, kicking up sand behind us like the wake of water behind the boat. Callista made it through the door first, and tagged the wall. "I win! I win!"  
"You...always...win!" Josef wheezed.  
"Well, I'm older. Of course I always win!"  
"Mom!"  
"Come on, you two," Mama said, tossing her black braid over her shoulder and setting out plates on the table.  
"Hello, children," the housedroid, T-402, greeted us. "I prepared your favorite today: shrimp sandwiches."  
"YAY!" the children cheered and sat down. Tee put their plates in front of them, then disappeared to do the laundry. They ate like ravenous wystohs, and were both finished in less than five minutes.  
"Well, you two certainly were hungry. It must be from all that running around on the beach," Mama said. The sound of the front door closing made us all look to the foyer. Callista's teenage sisters, Maya and Arkna, walked in. "What are you two doing home this early?" Mama asked, using that motherly tone.  
"That moron!" Arkna said in disbelief. "I studied for that test all week last week, and Mr. Churcin had the nerve to give me a D plus. What gives?"  
"He's probably a speciesist," Maya said. "He is a Calamarian."  
"I take it your physics exam didn't go so well?" Mama said, raising her eyebrows. Arkna sighed. "I know, I know. It's never the teacher's fault. Only mine, despite the fact that I studied for that stupid test all kriffin' week--"  
"And watch your language, young lady! Anyway, it is your fault because, if I remember correctly, you didn't study at all. You spent the entire week with that boyfriend of yours."  
Josef and Callista snickered behind our hands. Arkna glared at them.  
"Anyway, you shouldn't be so hard on Mr. Churcin. You know how hard it is for nonhumans to find decent jobs these days."  
"Mom!" Arkna huffed.  
"No more from you. You're grounded for a week, which means no leaving the house!"  
Arkna rolled her eyes.  
"I saw that. Do you want to make it two?" Mama said, standing up.  
Arkna looked at the floor. "No." she said sullenly.  
"All right, then. Now you two come have something to eat before you go back to school. Heaven only knows what they feed you there."  
Callista's mooka, Jeebie, jumped into her lap with a whine. She patted his head and poked a piece of shrimp at his nose, and he snatched it from her fingers with a wag of his tale.  
"Lissy," her mother warned. She hated it when Callista fed Jeebie from the table. The mooka leapt out of her lap and pattered to her room.  
They ate in silence for a few moments, but Callista was never one for quiet. "When does Papa get home?" she asked.  
"He should be back in a couple of hours," Mama answered. "Why?"  
"He said he'd help me with my history assignment," Callista said. "I don't know much about the rise and fall of the Sith Order."  
Mama smiled. "I can help you with that, Lissy. I'm fairly good when it comes to Galactic history."  
"Thanks, Mama," Callista said. "But I'd prefer it Papa helped me instead."  
"Well, why don't we wait until he gets home, then we can both help you with it?" she tried.  
"It's okay, I think my projects turn out a lot better when Papa helps," her daughter said. Callista leapt down from her seat and went to her room to get started, never seeing the hurt look on her mothers face.  
Callista awoke with a horrified gasp. She sat up and found herself back on her bed, in her room in the Imperial Palace. She turned her head to see Luke lying next to her, still asleep.  
A dream. It had all been a dream...  
But it had felt so real.  
Sweat was plastered to Callista's forehead, and she could feel more dripping from her hair. Moving as quietly as she could, careful not to wake her husband, she slipped out of bed and put her robe on. She went outside of their room to stand out on the balcony overlooking the entire city.  
As Callista stared blankly at the endless miles of skyscrapers and transports, her mind kept coming back to her dream...  
No, she thought as realization slapped her across the face. That was more than a dream. That was more like a flashback.  
It had actually happened.  
All those years ago.  
Callista's mother had died a very long time ago, killed herself by drinking an entire bottle of arsenic in her bathroom. It had been on the night of Callista's seventh life day, and she and her mother had been the only ones in the house at the time. Everyone else had left to celebrate Callista's life day at the beach that was next to their home.  
Callista had been in her room, playing with the toy lightsaber her Uncle Claine had given her for her life day, when she had felt her mother scream through the Force. She had run to her parents' bathroom to see what was wrong--but by then it was too late.  
Callista still remembered that day with vivid clarity, her mother's final gasp as she died, the horror and regret in her eyes, and Callista's own frightened sobs. It had been the worst day of her life.  
Over the years, she had had many dreams of her mother and her death, none of them pleasant. But never before had her dreams felt so real. Until now...  
Callista wiped a single tear that flowed down her cheek. As a child, she had always pushed her mother away, had never allowed her into her personal life. Although she hated to admit it, Callista had always enjoyed spending time with her father--Force, even her uncle--than with her mother. Whenever she had a problem with friends or school, she would always consult her father. Whenever she got an A on a test in school, she would always show it to her father first. Even when she injured herself playing, she would always call for her father rather than her mother. She loved her mother very much, true--she would even sing to her when she couldn't sleep; her mother had had a lovely singing voice--but they just didn't connect, for some reason.  
Her mother had died because of Callista. Because she had been so foolish to have ostracized her from her life. Because she didn't love her like she loved her father. She had never fully appreciated her, had always taken her for granted.  
How she wished she could have been given a second chance.  
Her mother's spirit had visited her on her wedding night, and Callista had insisted that she never favored her father over her. And though Callista thought she meant what she said, deep down inside, she knew she couldn't escape the awful truth.  
"I did favor Papa over Mama," she said aloud, gazing up at the black, star-spanned sky.  
More tears flowed, and Callista tried to shove thought of her dead mother and her dream away from her mind. Instead, she tried to focus on the present, such as her missing daughter--and her earlier outburst at Han and Leia.  
Callista still couldn't believe the horrible things she had said to them. Han and Leia had meant well; Hope's disappearance was in no way their fault. Her daughter was young and reckless; when she put something to mind, she was pretty much unstoppable. The guilt she felt was unbearable. And then there was that incident with the Kerash warrior. Callista had almost killed him, had almost given in to the powerful evil that had eaten away at her firstborn.  
The scariest part was that it wasn't the first time she had almost given in to the temptation.  
As she stood in the balcony, a flood of memories poured back to her:  
Her fight with the Human Replica Droid on Yavin 4.  
Her fight with the Sith Witch on board the Knight Hammer.  
Her meeting with Kara in the ancient temple.  
The Nightsister battle on Dathomir. Luke laying still on the snow- blanketed ground, an arrow protruding from his chest. Callista cutting down Nightsisters left and right with her lightsaber, overcome with a rage she had never known before...  
Forever...  
She is coming..  
Callista looked down at the scars on her palms, the scars she had sustained from her crucifixion on Dathomir. It had almost killed her, and had almost allowed her to fall to the dark side.  
Master Djinn Altis had told her that anger led to the dark side; he had drilled that into her head from day one. And yet, despite the lessons she had learned over the years, she almost gave in several times. And this time, she was even more perilously closer to the edge than ever.  
What is happening to me? she thought to herself, tracing the scars on her left palm with two fingers. She thought about Hope, so frail and young. And she was gone, lost in the Underworld, where no one could ever hope to find her. Callista longed to see her daughter again, to kiss her on the cheeks, run her fingers through her soft brown hair...  
As she thought of her daughter, she also remembered what Luke had said. Black Sun was apparently back, the leader so far unconfirmed, and they wanted her daughter. But why? Were they going to hold her for a ransom, train her as a Dark Jedi...or worse?  
And there was also the cloaked woman who had attacked her earlier. Who was she? Her voice...it sounded frighteningly familiar, and yet Callista couldn't quite place it.  
She is coming...  
Kerash...  
The name popped up in Callista's head again as she recalled what Armenia had said to her in the Underworld. She had heard that name before, but where? Perhaps it was she needed in order to find Hope...  
Callista checked to make sure Luke was asleep, then quietly left the room. She headed for the Imperial City Database, intending to speak to one of the ancient Jedi Holocrons.  
She needed to know more about this Kerash.  
Cray strode furtively down the darkened corridors of the Imperial Palace, her black cloak flapping around her like the wings of a dragon. Her hood was still over her head, so that no one could see her true face.  
It was just as well. She didn't want anyone to know who she was...until it was time.  
As Cray walked, searching for the cell that contained her fellow Kerash, she remembered what had happened on the Eye of Palpatine all those years ago...  
The Eye of Palpatine had been an early prototype Imperial battle station back in the days of the Old Republic--very reminiscent of the infamous Death Star. Palpatine had ordered the construction of the Eye for the sole purpose of exterminating the Jedi. But Callista--and her fellow Jedi companion, Geith--had been able to stop it, keeping it trapped in the Moonflower Nebula, where it laid dormant for decades, unable to use its destructive powers.  
Eight years after the battle of Endor, Luke, Cray, and her lover Nichos Marr went off to finish the job. Things started to go well for them-- until Callista came.  
Callista had managed to keep her spirit alive in the computer core of the _Eye of Palpatine_ during all those years of dormancy. She controlled everything in the battle station, and she used that to her advantage.  
Unbeknownst to Cray and her friends, Callista had activated the emergency destruct system, which would detonate the entire station in one standard hour. The group had continued on with their work, unknowing of the fate that awaited them.  
Within ten minutes of destruction, an image of the fallen Jedi had appeared in every screen on the Eye of Palpatine, a frightening grin of triumph on her face, which still sent shivers through Cray's blood. She was able to remember what Callista had said as if it had happened yesterday:  
Welcome aboard, Jedi. I am Callista, and I control this battle station. You have tried to tamper with my systems in an attempt to sabotage, and I cannot allow that. The emergency destruct system on the Eye has been running for at least an hour. Which means that you have ten minutes before this station explodes.  
Her grin had grown even wider as she said, If I were you, I'd get out as fast as I could.  
Cray had been appalled at the drastic change in Callista. Perhaps all those years being trapped in the Eye of Palpatine had slowly driven her mad. But it didn't, because in ten minutes, the entire station would be destroyed--along with everything and everyone in it.  
The ten minutes that followed afterward were probably the worst ten minutes of her life. She, Luke, and Nichos had wasted no time and hurried into an escape pod. Cray and the Jedi Master made it out in time, both in separate pods--but Nichos was not so lucky. Her lover, the man she loved the most in her entire life, died in the violent explosion that ripped apart the battle station.  
After that, Cray drifted aimlessly through space for over eight months, unsure of where she was heading. She put herself in a Jedi trance to prevent her body from starving to death.  
Eventually, her pod crashed.  
The people that found her took her back to their village and nursed her back to health. When she finally came to, she realized that she was on a distant planet that few people in the galaxy had ever heard of, Anasazi. Apparently, her pod had drifted past the Outer Rim and into a barely explored region in the universe, even farther out than distant worlds like Tatooine and Almania.  
The people who cared for her called themselves the Kerash.  
Eventually, Cray met the leaders of the village, and they took her to a cluster of temples deep in the jungles. There, she was surprised to find over thousands of warriors made their homes in the ancient structures. There, she learned of the Order of Kerash, its history, the goddess they worshipped--who was named Arak--and their fighting techniques. She was a fast learner, and eventually became the leader of the Kerash Cult.  
Over the years, after Cray left Anasazi, she kept a close watch over Callista. She was shocked to hear that the bitch who had murdered Nichos was now alive and roaming the galaxy, but even more so, she was horrified to see that Callista was now married to Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Cray had respected the most!  
He must be under some kind of spell, she surmised. Surely, Master Skywalker would never dream of marrying the woman who had once tried to kill him.  
Until recently, Cray never quite found the perfect opportunity to get her long-desired vengeance on the woman. Then Black Sun came.  
Apparently, Xizor wanted to capture the daughter of Skywalker and use her as a ransom. Cray had met up with the Prince of Black Sun, and an alliance was immediately formed. Cray would help find Hope and bring her to him, and in return, Xizor would help her kill Callista.  
Cray herself had also taken an interest in the little girl, as well as her cousin, Anakin. She didn't want to train them like the Nightsisters had planned, or anything like that. Rather, Hope and Anakin had a certain power to them, and it wasn't just the Force. It was a mysterious power--a connection of some sort--that the ancient Kerash priests had prophesized eons ago, the power that would bring the goddess Arak into the galaxy...  
Cray knew little about the theology of the Kerash, but the priests on Anasazi had insisted on bringing Hope back, and she had consented. As long as Xizor didn't kill her beforehand.  
Of course, if he did so, Cray would have to kill him, long and slow.  
Cray finally reached the prison block of the palace. She saw only one guard standing by the entrance. This would be easy.  
Bringing out her lightsaber, but not switching it on just yet, Cray walked toward the man.  
"Excuse me, sir," he said, putting a hand up to stop her. "This area is restricted to everyone except for the Chief of State and her brother. Visiting hours are on weekends."  
Without an answer, the blade of Cray's lightsaber shot to life, piercing through the guard's chest and coming out through his spine. The man let out a long, drawn out groan of pain and slumped lifelessly to the marbled floor.  
Cray stepped over the corpse and headed down the hallway, stopping when she reacehed the cell she was looking for.  
With her lightsaber, she sliced through the durasteel door.  
Within seconds, all six Kerash warriors--with Armenia in the lead-- stepped out of the cell one by one. "Thank you, Mistress," the woman acknowledged with a bow of her head. "We owe you."  
"Indeed you do," Cray replied in a cold voice. "You failed in your mission to bring Anakin to my ship."  
Armenia looked down at the floor. "I apologize. We won't fail again."  
"See that you don't," Cray said. "Now go. Capture Anakin Solo and bring him to the _Fallen Moon_ as soon as possible. Anyone who tries to stop you dies. Understood?"  
The six warriors bowed in unison.  
"But where will you be?" Armenia asked.  
Cray offered her a chilling smile. "I plan on having a little chat with an old friend," she said.


	4. Insult and Injury

Chapter 4  
  
The Imperial City Database was one of the largest areas on Coruscant. It was located deep under the palace, where few knew where to find it. Over a million records of everthing you could ever want to know about the universe--solar systems, planets, cities, individual people, important dates in histories--were stored within its data archives.  
Callista, dressed in a blue jumpsuit, marched down the sterile corridor. Her lightsaber hung loosely at her side; she didn't know why she brought it, but her instincts told her to bring it along.  
Better safe than sorry, she guessed.  
The hallway was much colder than the rooms above, and she wished she had brought a jacket to wear. But if she could survive being crucified in an icy tundra in the midst of a battle, she could certainly survive this.  
She finally reached the entrance door moments later. Survelliance cameras built into the walls swerved instantly to view her, and the two uniformed guards who were standing by the door stopped her. "We need your identification, ma'am," one of them said.  
"Callista Ming Skywalker," she replied, showing them her ID tab. "I need to speak to one of the Holocrons."  
The two guards exchanged a glance, and then let her pass.  
Beyond the door was an array of over a dozen different consoles and information ports. The room was empty save for her, for most people in Imperial City were asleep by now.  
Callista's eyes scanned the place until she found what she was looking for: a shelf off to her right that was stacked with Holocrons.  
Callista was very familiar with Holocrons. Back in the glory days of the Republic, before the rise of the Empire, Holocrons were used by most Jedi Masters to record their past experiences and document the ancient history and lore of the Jedi Knights. Master Djinn had kept one as well, and used them frequently in his lessons. Most of the Holocrons were destroyed when Palpatine became Emperor, but a few managed to survive through the decades, and were only recently rediscovered deep within the lower levels of the city. The ones that were found were stored here, where they would be safe.  
Callista counted twelve or thirteen Holocrons in all. She picked one that resembled a cube with carvings of circles and squares on its sides. So simple, and yet striking at the same time.  
Cupping the Holocron with one both hands, Callista activated it.  
Almost at once, a human-sized three-dimensional image of Nomi Sunrider appeared in front of her. Nomi Sunrider had been Callista's idol as a child, and she had loved studying about her while at the Jedi Academy on Coruscant all those years ago. She had fought been one of the most well- regarded Jedi Knights in history, as well as a member of the now-extinct Jedi Council, and had fought four-millenia ago in the Sith War. She was a hero.  
"Who dares to read the Holocron?" she asked. Despite the fact that this was only a holographic image Callista was seeing, Nomi still had a strong commanding presence about her when she spoke. For a moment, she felt like she was speaking to her actual spirit.  
Nomi had been a striking-looking woman, with red-brown hair and blue- green eyes. A bit roughshod, but still beautiful. In a way, she reminded Callista of Mara Jade.  
"Nomi Sunrider, my name is Callista Skywalker," she finally said. "I've come to ask for information about the Order of Kerash."  
The image froze for a moment as it processed Callista's request. It took longer than expected--almost six minutes--and the image finally asked, "Why do you want to know about the Kerash?"  
Callista sighed and sat herself down at one of the consoles, still facing the image. "My daughter, Hope, is missing, Sunrider. She disappeared in the Underworld, and I went off to search for her. I ran into a group of warriors, and they attacked me. The leader of the group, Armenia, said that she was the second-in-command of Kerash. They were after my daughter."  
Callista took a deep breath before continuing. "I need to know more about this Kerash. Who exactly are they, where do they come from, why do they want my daughter?"  
As she spoke, she briefly remembered the one time she had heard the word "Kerash" before: during one of her Master's Holocron lessons. The Holocron image--she forgot which Jedi Master it was--had mentioned it in one sentence:  
Using techniques learned from the now-extinct Order of Kerash, the Sith Lord Kri Orplan was able to wipe out the entire colony with little resistance.  
And that had been it. Callista had asked Master Djinn what the Order of Kerash was, but even he didn't know about it. None of the Holocrons they had did. Perhaps this one would.  
"The Order of Kerash has been extinct for millions of years," Nomi Sunrider said. "It is a cult so old that it dates pre-history, which is why there are little to no records about it. The information I have is sketchy at best, but hopefully what I do know can help you."  
Callista nodded. "Anything that can help find my daughter will be greatly appreciated. Please, tell me what you know, Jedi Master."  
"Kerash was first founded by a group of nomads who lived in the farthest corner of the galaxy," the holographic image of Sunrider said. "It was the first major religion to have been founded. Who these nomads exactly were is unknown, but they apparently wandered from planet to planet, converting non-belivers to their ways. Anyone who resisted was sujected to a slow and painful death."  
"What did they worship, exactly? The Force?" Callista asked.  
The image shook her head, blurring out for a few seconds as she did so. "No, the Force would not be discovered for centuries. And from what my sources say, none of them were gifted with it, either. No, these people worshipped a sun goddess named Arak. I am not sure if she was a goddess of good or evil, though."  
"Well, judging by the way they treated the skeptics, I'm leaning towards the latter," Callista said, now intrigued by this. Finally, she was getting somewhere--but she still had many more questions to answer. "Please, continue."  
"After years of wandering, the followers of Kerash finally established a permanent stronghold. I do not know the exact location, unfortunately, though it is most likely somewhere in the Unknown Regions, where few peope ever dare to venture out. They began training their followers, developed them into lethal warriors. Using the sophisticated technology of their time, they brainwashed their disciples, ridding them of their old memories, and implanting new ones, erasing their true identities. They turned all their followers into practically zombies with only one purpose in life: to convert the rest of the galaxy into the Kerash Order, or kill them."  
Callista swallowed a lump in her throat; this sounded frighteningly similar to the rise of the Sith Order and the Emperor's extermination of the Jedi Knights.  
"What happened?" she asked. "Did they succeed?"  
"Partially," Nomi replied. "They set out in vast fleets of battleships they built and eventually conquered over three major galaxies. Whole cities were annihilated, planets were laid to waste, millions upon millions of innocent people were massacred, and even more converted."  
"So, who stopped them?"  
"No one...they stopped themselves."  
Callista recoiled in surprise. "I'm afraid I don't understand," she said.  
"The Kerash was made up of only warriors, people who only knew one thing, which was to kill. Once they established their empire after the conquests, they quickly fell, for none of them knew how to rule an empire. So the leaders of the Kerash tried to split the empire into three halves, but that just weakened them even further. Fueds and riots broke out, leaders were assassinated as other Kerash loyalists tried to seize the throne. It was utter chaos. Eventually, a rebellion consisting of dozens of solar systems emerged and overthrew the last remnants of the Kerash Empire, scattering them into nothingness. They were all inevitably hunted down and executed for their crimes. And the Kerash never rose again."  
Callista laid back in her chair, amazed by this new knowledge that had been given to her. At last, many of her questions had finally been answered. But there was still something that troubled her, something that was missing...  
"Wait," she said as she sat up. "About their goddess, Arak...could you explain more about her?"  
The image complied. "The original followers--the nomads--always believed that when the end of the universe approached, the goddess Arak would appear from the heavens and envelop the entire universe with fire and light. Those who were faithful to her would be rewarded, and those who weren't were doomed to perish in the fire.  
"But in order for Arak to be brought into our world," Nomi continued, "the Kerash priests needed two beings who shared a powerful connection unheard of before in the galaxy. A power that would open the portal that led into Arak's dimension. The goddess would emerge from the portal...and would bring about the end of the universe."  
A chill rushed through Callista's veins as she listened to the brutal story. Surely, this Kerash theology had to be false. If the Force existed, then how could Arak also exist at the same time? It just didn't make any sense.  
Then Callista remembered what Nomi had said. Two beings who shared a powerful connection...  
Hope and Anakin had shared a certain bond that Callista had never seen before; she had first witnessed it on Dathomir, and then when she and Luke were dying and about to cross over. Hope and Anakin had saved them from death.  
All because of that special bond.  
"Oh, stars," Callista gasped as she stood up, her heart sinking. If her hunch was correct, then those Kerash warriors would be after Hope and Anakin...  
"Thank you, Nomi Sunrider," she quickly said as she switched off the Holocron and set it back in the shelf. "I need to find Anakin before--"  
"Before what?" came a voice from behind.  
Callista whirled to see a cloaked woman standing outside the open door. The same woman who had assaulted Han and Anakin. Callista saw the two guards who had let her in lying on her stomachs behind the figure, blood leaking on the marbled floor underneath them.  
"Finally figured it out, did you?" the woman said in a sweet, sickening voice. "You know what I want, Callista. I already have your daughter. Give me the boy, and I won't kill the others."  
Callista stepped forth as she unbuckled her lightsaber and ignited it with a snap-hiss. "Who are you?" she demanded. "And how do you know my name?"  
The figure slowly pulled back the hood that covered her face with both hands. Callista saw a mound of long blond hair, and when the woman brought her face up so that she was looking straight at her, Callista's heart almost skidded to a stop.  
"CRAY?!"  
Leia's eyes snapped open from her slumber as the terrible shatter of glass cut into the darkness. She sat up in bed immediately and gasped at what she saw. Someone had just come in through the window of their room.  
"Han, Han!" she shouted, shaking her husband awake. "Someone's broken in!"  
Even before he started to stir, Leia leaped out of bed, determined to find out who these people were and fight them, if she had to.  
Almost immediately, one of the attackers grabbed her by the shoulders and knocked her down.  
Leia got a good look at the man's face and instantly recognized him. It was the Kerash warrior Callista had killed earlier. Which meant that he must have broken free from his cell...along with the rest of his companions.  
Leia's blood ran cold as the Force screamed in her mind. The children! They were after the children!  
At the same time, Jaina awoke to hear her mother screaming in terror, accompanied by the sound of someone crashing in through a window.  
She got up out of her bed, unable to stop the panic that took over her body. What was going on?  
She opened the door to her room and saw Chewie bounding toward the living room. His eyes fell upon Jaina, and he roared at her to stay inside her room.  
Jaina, being the typical five year old she was, followed him.  
The Wookiee cried out as a black-cloaked woman--_one of those warrior guys Aunt Callista fought_, Jaina realized--slammed full force into him, bringing him down by the sheer impact. She brought out her golden staff and pressed it hard against Chewie's throat, choking him.  
Jaina thought fast, and her eyes rested on the couch in the living room. Closing her eyes and concentrating, Jaina called upon the Force, and lifted the furniture high into the air. The Kerash warrior continued strangling Chewie, unaware of the couch that was hovering quietly behind her.  
Jaina counted silently to three, and brought the furiniture through the air with her mind as fast as she could. It smacked into the woman's back, throwing her off the Wookiee and into the wall. She slid down to the carpeted floor, temporarily down.  
Chewie remained in the floor, gasping for air. Jaina ran over to see how badly hurt he was--and cried out as someone grabbed her from behind.  
She felt herself being spun around, and she found herself staring eye- to-eye with another warrior. "Get your hands off me!" she shrieked.  
The woman snarled, not sounding human at all. "You're not the one we're looking for."  
Jaina screamed as the woman knocked her into the air with her staff, sending her careening into the holovid in the living room. Stars exploded in the little girl's head, and the world around her quickly became black.  
Leia finally let out a frustrated yell and threw the man off her with the Force, shoving him onto the floor. She hated using her powers-- particularly in a battle, for she feared giving in to her anger--but desperate times called for desperate measures.  
As Leia clambered unsteadily to her feet, someone else grabbed her from behind, locking her arms behind her back. Leia couldn't see the person's face, but her feelings told her that it was one of the Kerash fighters. She struggled with all her might, trying to untangle her arms, but the attacker's hold was firm and refused to let go.  
The man she had knocked down slowly rose to his feet, a staff now in both hands. Leia watched as a wicked smile crossed the Kerash's face. He sauntered toward the two strugglers, raising the staff above his head.  
He leaned into Leia's face. "It's nothing personal," he whispered. "But it is the will of Arak."  
"HAN!!!!!!!" Leia screamed at the top of her lungs as the man prepared to strike.  
Callista could barely believe her own eyes. The woman who had attacked her in the Underworld, the woman who had taken her daughter away from her, the woman who was behind all that had happened, was standing right before her.  
A woman she had thought was dead.  
But she _was_ dead, Callista thought. Cray had given Callista her own body before sacrificing herself to stop the _Eye of Palpatine_. And yet here she was, standing right in front of her, in the flesh.  
How was this possible?  
Words could not describe what Callista felt now. She could barely even speak. "C-Cray?" she stammered, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs. "You're...alive?"  
"Yes, I am," Cray said in that all-too-familiar voice.  
"But...how? How is this possible?" Callista demanded, nearly dropping her lightsaber. "This can't be happening, because I _saw_ you die on the _Eye of Palpatine_."  
"Looks like your attempt to kill me on the Eye didn't quite work as well as you had hoped," the woman replied in a voice seething with hatred.  
Hatred toward Callista.  
"Cray...I never tried to kill you," she said, shocked that the woman who had given up her body for her would say such a thing.  
"Don't tell me you're suffering from memory loss now, Callista?" Cray said, clearly amused. "Don't you remember activating the destruct system on the Eye? Or when you told us your intent on destroying us when the station was about to explode? Surely, you couldn't have forgotten that."  
Callista had no idea what Cray was talking about, for none of that had happened at all. Had Cray had been brainwashed? How was she even alive, since Callista was inhabiting her body? Something didn't seem right here; the Force was warning her about this...  
Callista finally dropped her weapon and took a few prudent steps toward Cray, openly exposing the palms of her hands to show that she was unarmed. "Cray, please, you've got to listen to me..."  
She didn't have time to finish her sentence before Cray came forth and attacked.  
At the sound of his name, Han was up in an instant. It took him the space of three seconds to take in everything that was happening, and then he was out of bed like a womp rat bursting from a flaming nest, slamming his body into the Kerash warrior before his staff struck his wife. The two fell to the carpeted floor in a mess of limbs and flying fists.  
Leia's strength and confidence returned, and she brought the back of her head into the warrior that was holding her by the arms, striking him squarely in the face. The man screamed as blood streamed down his face, and his grip weakened. Leia finally was able to free herself, and grabbed the warrior by the arms, flipping him over her back.  
No sooner was he on the floor did Leia pick him up with the Force and hurled him into the far wall. The wall cracked under the impact, and the Kerash fighter hit the floor, unconscious.  
"Leia!" Han called as he struggled with the other warrior. "Get to the kids, quick!"  
"What about you?" Leia asked. She was not prepared to leave her husband alone with these barbaric people.  
Han gave her a lopsided grin. "I can take care of myself," he said. "But the kids need you. Go, now!"  
Leia nodded. "Good luck." Then she turned and dashed out of the bedroom.  
Han wrapped his arm around the warrior's neck and pinned him against the carpet, holding him immobile. "All right, pal, you've got answering to do," he said in the man's ear.  
The Kerash warrior smiled. "Answer to this."  
He punched Han in the face.  
Leia ran down the darkened hallway, not even bothering to turn the lights on. She could hear the sounds of fighting and screaming--including Jaina's frightened shrieks--coming from the living room. Without wasting a second, she headed in that direction.  
"Chewie!" she shouted. "Jacen! Jaina!"  
She finally reached the living room, and switched the light on. The sight that greeted her nearly made her scream in horror.  
Chewbacca was lying prone on the floor; he was still breathing, but he was badly injured. Up ahead, Leia saw her daughter lying amidst the wreckage of their holovid, surrounded by metal and glass. From what she saw, her body was already badly cut up.  
Leia's hand went up to her mouth. "In the name of Alderaan," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks.  
"Oh, Mistress Leia!"  
She turned to see Threepio staggering into the living room. "Threepio," she said. "What happened?"  
"It's terrible, Mistress, just terrible! They hurt poor Chewbacca and Mistress Jaina. I-I tried to help them, but--"  
As the droid spoke, Leia saw someone sneak up on him from behind. "Threepio, look out!"  
Threepio spun around, and ended up getting smacked in the head by a staff. The blow was so vicious that it completely decapitated the protocol droid, knocking his head onto the floor. Threepio's lifeless droid body toppled down seconds later.  
Leia had barely recovered from her shock before a pair of strong hands snatched her from behind and threw her over the wreckage of the living room couch. Leia hit the floor hard and slid right against the wall.  
"Where is the child?" one of the warriors demanded as they headed to where Leia had fallen.  
"You know what we want, Solo," the Kerash warrior said as he stood over Han, tall and looming in his black robe. "We want your son. Give him to us, and we will spare the rest of your family."  
Han stumbled weakly to his feet, wiping away a smear of blood from his lips. "If you lay one hand on my son," he snarled, an anger he had never felt before blossoming in his core, "I will hunt you down to the ends of the galaxy and kill you."  
The Kerash warrior sighed in mock-regret, and his fist flew into Han's nose.  
Han was sent careening against the wall, his mouth throbbing from the blow. He grunted in frustration and swung a jab for the man's throat.  
The Kerash must have anticipated the attack, for his arm came up and knocked Han's fist away. At the same time, he threw a jab right into the mouth, and an uppercut knocked Han right back into the wall. The Kerash spun and brought Han to his knees with a powerful sidekick to the chest.  
Han laid on the ground in a shriveled, embryonic position, his ribs burning with intense pain; several of them were probably broken. He tried to get up, but the fight had gone out in him. The Kerash warrior would just send him back down again.  
"Your child will be ours, Solo," the man said as he left the room. "And there's nothing you or your friends can do to stop us."  
Leia tried without much success to shake the dizziness out of her head. She had banged into the wall pretty hard, and had sapped away a lot of her strength. Her vision swam as she got up.  
The Kerash warrior who had thrown her laughed. "Look at you," she said. "The mighty Chief of State. I always figured you were overrated. You can't even beat a pair of two mere warriors like us."  
Before Leia could reply, the woman struck her hard across the face, dropping her to one knee.  
"Mom!"  
Despite the pain, Leia managed to crane her head to the right and saw her two sons standing in the hallway leading into the living room, horror- stricken. It was Jacen who had shouted.  
The Kerash who had struck Leia pointed a clawed finger at Anakin. "That one! Get the little one!"  
"No!" Leia shouted as she struggled back up. "Anakin, run!"  
Without needing any further encouragement, Anakin turned and ran toward the door that led out of the apartment, moving as fast as his pudgy little legs would allow him, which unfortunately wasn't very far.  
The other Kerash warrior in the room followed the running boy, her fist striking Jacen down as she moved past him.  
Leia felt a surge of anger at that moment. These people had hurt her family too much for her to bear. She looked up at the Kerash woman, who was obviously enjoying herself, and Leia snapped.  
Her fists came out in an instant, striking the woman, once, and then again in the jaw. Leia heard a very satisfying crack as the woman's jaw broke, and she fell back onto the broken couch, taken aback by Leia's ferocity.  
She quickly recovered and was on her feet in the blink of an eye. Leia tried for a third punch, but the warrior was ready. She sidestepped, grabbed Leia by the arm while it was still in the air, and shoved her violently to the floor.  
She then started to head off in the direction Anakin had ran.  
Thinking fast, Leia stuck her foot out as far as she could. The woman didn't even see it coming, and she tripped over Leia's foot and landed flat on her chin.  
With her opponent down for the moment, Leia got up as quick as she could and headed over to the mantle, where she kept her lightsaber. She was through pulling punches, and would not let these monsters hurt her family anymore.  
Even if that meant killing every last one of them.  
As Leia switched the weapon on, the Kerash warrior leaped to her feet. The two opponents locked eyes for a brief moment, then charged toward each other, each determined to take the other down.  
As they bore down on each other, a woman's voice burst into the room. "Enough!"  
Leia and the warrior, both surprised, turned to see Armenia enter the living room, twirling her staff in both hands.  
"This one is mine," she said with a smile of anticipation slowly spreading across her face. Her emerald-green eyes narrowed as they focused on Leia.  
The Kerash warrior back away from the upcoming battle, leaving Leia alone as she faced the leader of the Kerash group.  
Leia could feel all the blood rushing into her head as she faced Armenia. Her palms were covered with sweat, and she almost lost her grip on her lightsaber. She tightened both hands around the metal hilt to prevent it from slipping.  
Her eyes remained on Armenia the whole time.  
The other woman smiled--a sneer of pure joy of what she had done--and Leia fought the urge to strangle her. This woman had broken into her room with the sole purpose of taking her youngest son away from her, attacked her family, hurt her daughter, trashed her home, and was preparing to kill Leia in combat.  
Leia could feel the anger returning, threatening to overwhelm her heart. No, she could not give in to it...  
"What's the matter, Organa Solo?" Armenia said, taking one step closer, the staff held in front of her like a shield. "Are you afraid. Come on, you know you want to kill me. I tried to kill your family. So ahead; give me your best shot."  
You have no idea how much I want to, Leia thought to herself. But she held back. "No, Armenia," she said. "I refuse to strike the first blow." She lowered her lightsaber, but didn't drop it. "You'll have to kill me."  
Armenia shrugged. "Your call."  
She came at her with a furious animal shriek, swinging her staff toward Leia's head.  
Her Force instincts warned her of the attack, and Leia ducked. The weapon flew just over her head, almost touching her hair.  
Armenia snarled--apparently not seeing that coming--and tried for a second attack. As before, Leia dodged it, and the staff smashed into one of Leia's Alderaanian vases on the mantle.  
The Kerash warrior drew back, and struck again, this time heading for the knee. Leia leaped over the staff, the tip of it brushing against the sole of her foot, and landed in a crouch.  
Her lightsaber crossed with the staff a second later, easily severing it in half. As both halves of the weapon fell to the floor, Leia brought the ruby-red blade across Armenia's thigh, cutting deep into the skin and burning her flesh.  
Armenia shrieked and fell to one knee, temporarily weakened. Leia stood up and brought her lightsaber over her head, determined to put an end to this woman's life once and for all, before she could take her son--  
"No!" Armenia said, her eyes wide with fear. She held one hand up to shield herself from the blow. Leia could easily slice through Armenia's hand as if it wasn't even there and take her head off with it...  
But she faltered. She looked into Armenia's eyes, and could sense her terror. This woman, despite all the things she had done to Leia and her family, was still afraid to die. Leia knew fully well what Armenia was capable of, and that killing her would help her in the long run...something inside her told her not to.  
Reluctantly, she dropped her blade. "You're not worth it," she said in a cold, hateful voice.  
The fear immediately disappeared from her eyes, replaced with confidence. Too late, Leia realized that it had been a facade. Armenia had led her into a trap.  
Before she could retrieve her lightsaber from the floor, Armenia stood up in a flash, smashing her elbow into Leia's face. Her head was brought back at whiplash speed, her nose spurting warm blood.  
As she tottered off balance, the Kerash woman kicked Leia in the stomach, and the air left her body, leaving her breathless and gasping. Armenia spun, and sent her leg into Leia's feet, dumping her to the floor.  
Leia laid on her back, relearning how to breathe, no longer able to fight. Armenia stood over her, victory shining in her green eyes.  
"You should have killed me when you had the chance," the woman said, disgust evident in her voice. "I will understand you Jedi."  
"Armenia!" One of the Kerash warriors entered the living room, holding Anakin by the hair with one hand, the other hand gripping his throat. "I've got him."  
"Good." Armenia's eyes returned to Leia. "Now, if you'll excuse us."  
"Mommy!" Anakin screamed as the Kerash dragged him out of the apartment.  
"A-Anakin..." Leia said weakly as she tried to get up. But her fight with Armenia had taken its toll, and she stood up too fast. Almost immediately, she collapsed to the floor in a crumpled heap.  
She fell into blackness.  
  
_ Mommy!  
_ Luke heard his nephew's scream in his dreams, snapping him awake in an instant. He sat up in his bed, and saw that he was alone in the bedroom. Callista was gone.  
What was going on?  
"Anakin!" Luke said as he remembered the boy's scream, quickly getting up out of bed. He put his robe on, snatched his lightsaber, and headed toward Leia and Han's apartment.  
But something inside him told him that he was already too late.   
  
Callista's reflexes exploded as Cray brought the lightsaber down upon her head. Thinking back to the lightsaber spars she had practiced with Master Djinn, she quickly dropped to one knee and felt the blade slide inches above her neck, almost close enough to burn. She reached forth and retrieved her lightsaber, and brought it to life with a flick of the switch.  
All this happened in the space of four seconds.  
Callista took several backward steps away from Cray, holding her saber in a defensive stance. Cray remained back, her posture almost mirroring Callista's. The two women looked at each other, unblinking, the hum of their weapons burning through the cold air. "Cray, I don't know what's happened to you," she said, "but don't do this. Let me help you."  
Cray laughed bitterly. "You help me? Now, that's rich! The woman who murdered my lover now wants to help me? Tell me, Callista, do you have dreams of Nichos dying on the Eye of Palpatine at night? Do you hear him screaming as the flames rip away at his body? Do you find that satisfying? Well, I can tell you one thing. I don't, because I see him in my dreams every day since he died!"  
"Cray, you have to listen to me!" Callista said, but Cray apparently was not willing to. The two blades intersected like a pair of comets colliding through space, sizzling and sparking. Callista wiped a brow of sweat from her eyes as she backed off and parried a slash to the hip.  
"You're holding back, Callista," Cray said. "Honestly, I was expecting a lot better from you. Perhaps the years have made you slow and complacent. I spent years training with the Kerash, learning their fighting styles, and look where it got me. I am now the leader of the entire Kerash Order. I am their strongest warrior. I am stronger than you." She twirled her lightsaber in her hands, her eyes frenzied with barely controlled anger. "And now I'll use the skills I have learned to kill you!"  
"Cray, I don't know what's happened to you ever since the Eye," Callista said, "but I did not kill Nichos."  
"Yeah, right," Cray said. She jabbed her lightsaber forth in an attempt to stab Callista through the ribs. The other woman sent her blade into Cray's, producing an impressive array of sparks that flew into both their faces. Callista was temporarily blinded from the flash. She blinked her eyes several times to get rid of the spots that danced across her vision, and looked up at Cray.  
"Cray, I'm your friend," Callista said.  
"No murderer is a friend of mine," the other said. She lunged forth in a flurry of attacks, hacking, slashing, and jabbing at her opponent with all her might.  
Callista, abandoning all chances of talking her friend out of fighting, parried the woman's blows, attuning herself to the Force. The two women fought on for over five minutes in the large chamber, evenly matched...at least for now.  
But Callista knew it wouldn't be long before she started to tire out. And if she did...Cray would kill her.  
Callista ducked as Cray chopped down, and the blade ended up slicing through one of the consoles. Callista rolled, and landed right behind the other. She stood and swung her sword in a wide arc for Cray's head, a killing blow--  
But she spun around with amazing speed, blocking the attack with her own blade. Her hand the shot up, snatching Callista by the arm that held the saber. She twisted it with such force that she almost broke the bone.  
Callista gasped as a flaming river of pain surged through her entire arm. Cray kept a hold on her and brought the hilt of her lightsaber into Callista's face. It struck her squarely in the nose, smashing it open in a wash of blood. Callista blacked out for a split second, and when she looked up, Cray struck her again.  
"You are making this far too easy, Callista," Cray said, as she sent her knee into Callista's gut. She let out a breathless gasp as a painful sensation burned in her stomach from the impact, and she nearly passed out. But something--probably the possibility of never being able to see her daughter--kept her from losing consciousness.  
But that wasn't able to stop Cray from elbowing her straight in the face.  
She finally let go, and Callista collapsed to the marbled floor. A tiny river of blood flowed down her nostrils and spilled onto the floor, and her stomach still throbbed. Drawing upon the last fraction of strength she still had left--Hope, she thought, keep thinking of Hope--she staggered almost feebily to her feet, glaring at the other woman.  
"I don't want to fight you, Cray," she said in a weak voice.  
Cray merely smiled. "Well then, that just makes my job of killing you a lot easier."  
She charged forth, and Callista reached down into the endless well of the Force, using it to leap high into the air. She came at Cray like a rocket, bringing one foot back, intending to strike the woman right in the chest, which would hopefully take her out of the fight.  
But Cray was more than a worthy match for her. As Callista bore down on her, Cray spun around--as she did, the entire room and time itself started to slow down--and delivered a powerful kick into Callista's belly, sending the Jedi crashing back into the floor, against the shelf of Holocrons. Several of the ancient artifacts fell down upon her in a small avalanche.  
As time speeded back up, Callista looked up, on the verge of throwing up, and saw Cray standing over her like the grim reaper about to take away her soul.  
Callista uttered a single groan, one hand clutching her stomach, as if trying to squeeze the pain out. "Cray, please don't do this. The Kerash will kill us all if we don't stop them. Join us, and help rid the galaxy of this great evil."  
Cray paused a moment, as if contemplating the matter, and then shook her head. "Sorry, Callista. I promised myself a long time ago that I would avenge the death of Nichos, and I intend to keep that promise," she said, and started to raise her lightsaber up.  
Callista closed her eyes, knowing that there was nothing else she could do, and waited for her inevitable death...  
  
Luke knew that when he saw that the door to Han and Leia's apartment was left wide open, something terrible had happened. He could feel the sense of terror and despair emanating from his sister's home, and he silently cursed himself for not having arrived sooner. He was a Jedi Master, and he had failed to save his family.  
Luke finally reached the open door and entered the apartment, and could scarcely believe what he saw.  
It was far worse than he had imagined.  
The apartment was in shambles. He could see that someone had broken the living room couch, and the holovid had been shattered into millions of tiny glass shards. Blood stained the bluish-green carpet, and when Luke got closer, he could see Leia lying unconscious on the floor.  
"Leia!" he cried out, horrified, as he rushed to his sister's side. She was bleeding heavily from her nose. Panic nearly burning through his heart, Luke checked for a pulse on her neck, and thankfully felt it underneath his fingertips. She was alive, thank the Force! "Leia, are you all right?"  
Leia's eyes fluttered awake, and she looked up at her brother weakly. "Lu-Luke?" she said, one hand going up to caress his face. "Is that you?"  
"Yes," Luke replied, the relief tangible, as he took the hand that touched him and kissed it several times over. "It's me. Thank the Force you're safe."  
"And the others?" she whispered. "Chewie...Jaina?"  
Luke's eyes scanned the living room, and he saw Chewie lying prone a few steps away from them. And he gasped when he saw Jaina in the middle of the broken holovid, blood seeping from several cuts on her skin.  
"Jaina!" He ran over to bring his niece out of the glass. Leia followed suit, and they both grabbed the unconscious girl by the arms and legs, and carefully lifted her out of the glass. They set her down on the floor and checked her injuries.  
Leia held her daughter's hand, not even bothering to fight back the tears that spilled. "Jaina, sweetie," she said, stroking her by the hair. "Please, wake up. Please..."  
"She has over a dozen cuts all over her body," Luke said gravely as he inspected the injured girl. "But she'll live. She's going to need bacta treatment, though."  
Jaina finally stirred in her mother's arms. "Mommy?" she said as she slowly woke up. "Mommy, it hurts."  
Leia smiled as she kissed Jaina on the forehead. "I was scared I had lost you," she said. "Don't worry, Jaina. You'll be all right."  
Luke continued checking Jaina, and saw with dismay that a piece of glass had wedged itself into her left knee. "Jaina, honey," he said. "I'm going to have to pull this piece of glass out. Now, it's gonna hurt when I do it, so I want you to hold onto your mommy's hand and don't let go."  
Jaina nodded, clearly frightened, and wrapped both arms around Leia.  
Luke took a deep breath, and summoned the Force, surrounding the glass piece with his mind. He silently counted to three, and yanked the glass out as fast as he could.  
Jaina screamed and gripped Leia even tighter, who hugged her back with equal strength. Luke tore off a piece of his robe, and started wrapping it around her knee wound. "Very good, Jaina," he said, offering his niece a smile. "You were very brave."  
"Mommy," Jaina said.  
"Yes, Jaina?" she asked as she stroked her daughter's beautiful brown hair.  
Jaina looked up at her mother, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes. "Is Anakin okay?" she asked.  
Leia didn't answer for a long time. Luke looked up at his sister and asked, "What happened?" He dreaded the answer.  
"The Kerash warriors escaped from their cell," Leia said in between sobs, embracing her daughter. "They came in here and attacked us. They...they took Anakin with them."  
Luke felt his heart sink. Now Anakin was gone, along with Hope. His mind started to whir, and he had no idea what to do next.  
Then a thought occurred to him. "Leia, have you seen Callista?" he asked.  
Leia gave him a confused look and shook her head. "I haven't seen her since that incident with the Kerash warrior," she said. "Why?"  
Luke could feel the Force whispering in his ears, warning him that his wife was in danger. "Leia, you take care of Jaina and the others. I have to go find her."  
Without waiting for an answer, he left the apartment.  
Don't give up, my child.  
Djinn's words whispered soothingly in Callista's mind, offering her new strength. Time started to slow once again as Cray brought her lightsaber down like a guillotine, aiming for the neck, which would slice Callista's head off with one clean swipe.  
Don't give up. Let the Force flow through you...  
Callista looked away from Cray--moving slowly, ever so slowly--and focused on her fallen lightsaber, using her last reservoir of strength to pick up the Jedi weapon with an invisible hand.  
Let the Force flow...  
Cray's lightsaber fell closer and closer with each passing second. Callista could just roll away from the blow and avoid it completely--  
Callista's lightsaber was levitating in the air, controlled by her powers. Callista switched the blade on and aimed it toward Cray. Not a killing blow; she didn't want to kill her friend.  
The blade was now an inch away from her neck--  
Squeezing her eyes shut, Callista propelled the lightsaber through the air--  
Time returned to normal--  
The Jedi weapon twisted through the air--  
--and struck Cray's hand right off.  
Cray screamed in unexpected pain and surprise as the blade sliced cleanly through her hand, immediately cauterizing the wound. Her lightsaber and amputated hand fell, useless, to the floor, and Cray dropped to her knees, cradling the stump of her hand, still screaming.  
Callista heaved a sigh of relief and started to stand up. The severed hand caught her eye when she saw what was sticking out of it--  
At that moment, Luke burst into the room, trailed by three Republic guards. "Callista!" he shouted.  
"Luke!" Callista ran into her husband's arms.  
"Are you all right?" he asked as he kissed his wife on the lips, deep and passionate. "I was so scared something had happened to you."  
"I'm fine," she answered as she kissed him back.  
"And who is this?" one of the guards asked, gesturing toward Cray.  
Luke's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets when he saw his former student. "Cray?!" he exclaimed. "You're...alive?"  
Callista smiled. "My thoughts exactly." She turned to the guards. "This woman tried to attack me. Stun her and take her to the brig."  
Cray turned to the Jedi Master, eyes pleading. "Master Skywalker, this is madness!" she said. "That woman killed Nichos! She killed him, and will kill you too if you turn her back on her."  
"All right, Miss," the guard said as he stood her up.  
"Get away from me!" Cray screamed, and tried to run over to Luke. But the guards held her back. "Master, trust me! Don't you remember what happened on the--"  
One of the guards drew out his blaster and set it to STUN. A blue- white beam sprayed from the weapon, slamming into Cray's head and immediately knocking her out. The woman fell to the floor, and was dragged out of the room by the three guards.  
Luke turned to Callista, confusion and shock eteched on his face. "Callista...what the hell is going on?" he demanded. "What was she talking about?"  
"I don't know," Callista answered, thinking back to Cray's amputated hand...  
"B-But," Luke sputtered, "how can she be alive...when you're in her body?"  
"That's the thing, Luke, she's not alive," Callista said as realization sank in.  
"What?"  
"Look at her hand over there," she said, pointing toward the severed limb. "Look what's sticking out of it."  
Luke's eyes followed the direction his wife was pointing at, to the hand lying lifelessly on the floor. When he finally saw it, he understood what she was saying.  
Circuits and wires were coming out of the hand. Not blood.  
"That woman that just attacked me," Callista said, "is not the Cray we knew. She's not even human."  
"She's a droid," Luke said.


	5. The Terms

Chapter 5  
  
Armenia and her fellow warriors reached the roof of the Imperial Palace, where Cray's personal ship, the Fallen Moon awaited. Armenia carried the screaming boy with both arms, expecting to find her Master waiting for them.  
But instead, she saw no one near the ship.  
"Where is she?" one of the warriors asked, his eyes scanning the area. "She said she would be here. Do you think--?"  
"Silence, Voreo," Armenia snapped. "Panicking isn't going to help."  
"So, what are we going to do?" a second warrior asked.  
"Let me go!" Anakin screamed shrilly as he fought to break free from Armenia's hold. "Let me go, now!"  
"Shut up, you little brat!" Armenia brought a knife from her robe and pressed the tip of the blade against the little boy's throat. Just a little more pressure, and it was pass right through his flesh. "If you say one more word, I will kill you. Understand?"  
Anakin nodded, fearful, his eyes brimming with tears.  
Armenia looked over at her fellow warriors. "Well, it looks like we'll have to leave without Cray. Apparently, the Republic guards must have captured her."  
The warriors exchanged shocked glances. They had never abandoned their leader before like this. Voreo stepped forth. "Uh...Armenia, are you sure that's wise? Maybe she's running behind a little late--"  
"We don't have much time!" Armenia growled, interrupting the young man. She almost pitied the poor fool, who was so naive as to believe that the HRD was truly their leader. "We need to return to Xizor's headquarters and pick up the girl as well. The priests have requested that we bring these children to Anasazi before the next full moon. As much as I hate to do so, we are going to have to leave Cray behind."  
Voreo still didn't look convinced. "But, Armenia--"  
Armenia stabbed forth with the dagger, burying it in the young man's gut hilt-deep. Voreo's eyes glassed over, and he looked up at Armenia, his face expressing pain and betrayal.  
He slumped to the ground, writhing in agony.  
Armenia looked up at the other warriors, who stepped away from her as one, all fearful that she may attack one of them next.  
"Does anyone else wish to question my orders?" she demanded sharply, waving the dagger teasingly in their faces.  
The group wisely remained silent.  
"Then let's go," she snapped.  
The Kerash warriors headed for the _Fallen Moon_ before the Republic security could catch them.  
Armenia watched her followers go, and looked down at Voreo, who was still alive, though his life was slowly draining from his body. A puddle of blood congealed under his stomach like spilled wine.  
"Wh-Why?" he wheezed out.  
Armenia offered him a cold sneer. "I am sorry, Voreo, but too much is at stake here. These children are the key to unleashing Arak into our world. She will destroy the unfaithful, and reward her followers. The Kerash will inherit the galaxy once again, and no one will be able to stop us. This is the will of Arak."  
As she spoke, her voice rising as each word came out of her mouth, Voreo coughed up blood and finally breathed his last.  
Armenia's eyes gazed down at the fresh corpse, her eyes distant and hardened. "She is coming," she whispered. "Yes...She is coming..."  
With the frightened Anakin in her arms, she headed for the _Fallen Moon.  
_  
Callista, Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Threepio, and Jacen all sat in the waiting room of the bustling MedCenter, the tension almost tangible in the group.  
Callista checked her chronometer for a thousandth time. They had brought Jaina in around dawn, just an hour so so after the Kerash warriors broke into Leia's home. The little girl had still been bleeding profusely from the numerous gashes on her arms, legs, and face. The doctors had immediately placed her in a bacta tank, and promised that she would be out within three standard hours. Now, it had been over five. Callista could barely contain the anxiety she felt rising in her chest. So many things had happened in the last few hours--the disappearance of her daughter, the fights in the Underworld, the attack in Leia's home, Jaina's injuries, Anakin's kidnapping, Cray's unexpected return--and it was more than she could bear.  
_Stars, _she thought._ Once this whole mess is taken care of, Luke and I are going on a long vacation. _While they had waited, Callista and Luke filled the rest in on what had happened with Cray.  
Not too surprisingly, they were more than a little startled by this. "But...how could she be alive?" Han asked, a dubious look on his face.   
"Truthfully, she isn't alive," Callista pointed out. "She's a synthdroid, made to look like a human from the outside, but on the inside, she's like every other droid."   
"Like Nichos was," Leia added sullenly. Callista felt a pang at the mention of the young man's name...the man whom Cray now accused Callista of murdering.   
"Sort of," Callista said. "But in Nichos's case, his persona was transferred into the droid. Cray, however, is a hundred percent mechanical. These Kerash warriors must have built her on their home base and gave her false memories of her life...of what happened on the _Eye of Palpatine._"   
"I'm still not clear about this Kerash," Han said, rubbing his chin, a gesture he often did when he was nervous. "What exactly are these people up to?"   
Callista shrugged. "Trust me, Han, if I try to explain it, you'll be even more confused."   
"But there's something I don't understand," Leia said. "If these Kerash warriors are so far away, and practically unheard of throughout the galaxy, then how do they know about you? I mean, in order to have constructed Cray, they had to have known about you and the _Eye_." "Good question." Callista pondered it for a moment. The Kerash--or someone in their cult--seemed to know her far too well. The question was, how? And, more importantly, who?   
"So, what's going to happen to Cray?" Leia asked.   
Callista shrugged again. "I'm not sure. Right now, she's in the brig. I'm planning on questioning her after we're done here. Hopefully, she may have some answers regarding where the Kerash have taken Anakin."   
Leia nodded. "I'm going to call a meeting of the Senate tomorrow and discuss what we're going to do about Black Sun."   
"Do you think Black Sun and these Kerash guys are connected?" asked Han. "It would make sense," Luke said, who, up until this moment, had not participated in the discussion. "They both share similar goals. Both want our children..."   
Callista suppressed a moan as she thought of Hope. They still hadn't found her daughter--although the NRI was investigating into her disapperance even as they spoke--and now Anakin was gone as well. Jacen remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the conversation. Normally, he would be talking up a storm and annoying the other patients in the MedCenter...but not today. It was hard to be talkative when your own sister was being treated by the hospital, and your brother was missing. Threepio, now fully repaired, stood over him, laying his gold-plated hands on his shoulder, quietly reassuring him.   
The protocol droid was also unusually quiet. This whole ordeal had affected them all very deeply. And that brought Callista back to their earlier fight.   
"Um...Han," she said, looking him straight in the eyes. "About that fight, we had earlier...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said to you and Leia. I had no right to dump all this on you two, when I had just as much responsibility to accept."  
Han offered her a sympathetic smile. "I appreciate that, Callista. I'm sorry, too, for losing my temper. I should've been more understanding about what you were going through. Both of us were at fault for what happened."   
Callista smiled back. For just a brief second, despite all that had happened in the last few days, she felt a moment of happiness. It was quickly interrupted by the sound of footsteps. The group turned to see Jaina's Calamarian doctor, Doctor Poshkal, enter the waiting room. His eyes shone with relief as he headed over to them.   
"Well?" Leia asked as she stood. "Is she okay, Doctor?"   
Doctor Poshkal nodded. "Yes, Madam Chief of State. She's fine." The group let out a simultaneous sigh of relief, and everyone exchanged a series of grateful hugs and kisses. All the tension that had been collecting in Callista's chest finally dissipated; her niece would be okay after all!   
"So, how bad is it?" Han asked.   
"Well, the dip in the bacta healed most of her wounds," the Calamarian explained. "There are still a few cuts visible on her skin, and a possibility of some scarring. But other than that, she's as good as new." Han put his arm around his wife, grinning from ear to ear. Callista smiled at them both, and turned back to the doctor.   
"Can we see her?"   
"Certainly," he replied. "She's in Room 36-A in the West Wing, the last door to your left."   
The group thanked Doctor Poshkal several times over and went to see Jaina. As they prepared to get up from their seats, the waiting room holovid suddenly sprung to life. An all-too-familiar face appeared on the screen, a face that made everyone in the room gasping in shock and horror. It was the face of a man they had thought died years ago. The face of a Falleen.   
Xizor.  
  
Prince Xizor sat stock still and straight in the conforming chair, staring ahead at the viewscreen pickup camera. "Is it ready yet?" He whispered, low and silken.   
The technician squirmed from under the console at Xizor's feet. "N-not quite yet, my lord. My associate on Coruscant has to finish hooking all of the broadcast systems together, but it won't be much longer now." "Call him," Xizor purred. "Call him and tell him he has ten standard minutes to complete the job." The technician nodded shakily and complied.   
Ten minutes later, they were online. Guri adjusted the transistor knob and reported, "online in 3...2...1..."   
The viewscreen to Xizor's left flickered, showing the close-up of his face that had just been broadcast across every viewscreen in Imperial City.   
Xizor spoke, keeping his voice even and smooth: "Citizens of the New Republic, some of you may know me as Prince Xizor, ruler of Black Sun. And some of you may think I have been dead these past ten years. Obviously, this rumor is unsubstantiated.   
"But fear not, I want nothing from you...yet. Right now I wish to speak directly to authority. I call upon Master Luke Skywalker and his wife, Callista Ming."   
Xizor looked straight ahead, imagining the Jedi Master and his wife standing before him. "I have your daughter, young Hope." He paused to let those words sink in, feeling the satisfaction of them drip over him like ambrosia-like honey. "Do not fear, I will not harm her...yet. Not if you see that my wishes are carried out to the letter."   
Xizor allowed his face to break its rocklike stasis and smile. "See that Coruscant is evacuated of all military ships and persons within the next forty-eight hours. I am coming home...and I don't want the hero's welcome. If you fail to do this, I will see to it that you will never see your daughter again."   
His voice dropped. "I will see to it that no one will ever see here again."  
  
"I have you daughter, young Hope." As Luke watched the strange broadcast, he felt his muscles tense in horror. One of his most dangerous adversaries had his daughter!   
_Calm...calm...Damn you, Xizor!_ He gripped the armrests of the hospital chair in fury.  
Beside him, Callista gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. "No," she whispered, her voice filled with terror and confusion. They listened as Xizor stated his ultimatums, punctuated by his final threat.   
"If you fail to do this, I will see to it that you will never see your daughter again." He leaned closer, and Luke could all but feel the Dark Prince's breath on his face. "I will see to it that no one sees her again!" Callista bolted from the room, and ran across the hall to the women's fresher station. Luke didn't look at Han or Leia's terrified faces as he went after her, didn't hesitate at the door of the room, didn't see the annoyed faces of half a dozen women.   
"C-Callista?" His tongue felt like cotton in his mouth... He heard a cough from the nearest stall, and looked over to see Callista kneeling in front of the toilet. Luke fell to his knees beside her and wrapped his hands over her shoulders. Callista retched again, coughed, and cleared her throat.   
"Who the hell is that, Luke?" She whimpered. Luke rested his forehead against the matted curls on the back of her head. "An old nemesis, from before the Empire fell. I swear he was dead--"   
Callista scoffed. "Yeah, cold and stiff, by the looks of it." She muttered angrily. She tried to get up, but her legs were so shaky that they failed her and she slipped uselessly into her husband's arms. Finally, she let go, and violent sobs racked her body. Between breathless shudders, she whispered. "What will we do, Luke?"  
Luke pressed his forehead to hers, feeling tears trickling down his own cheeks. "I don't know, Callista. I'm sorry, I'm...I'm just as lost as you are."  
  
"I don't believe it," Leia said for perhaps the hundreth time as she paced the waiting room. Luke, Callista, Han, Chewie Threepio, and Jacen were back in their seats, barely able to take in the horrible news. Xizor was alive. "How?" Leia asked. "How can he still be alive? We saw Vader destroy the _Falleen's Fist,_ remember?"   
Luke nodded, all the color drained from his face. "I know...but maybe he managed to escape. After all, we didn't really get any concrete confirmation that he was truly dead. We had been so preoccupied with saving Han from Jabba the Hutt that we didn't even think about the possibility of Xizor surviving."   
"Or maybe he's a clone," Han said. "Like C'baoth was."  
"Maybe," Leia said. "Perhaps one of Thrawn's old cloning facilities are still here, hidden somewhere in the city. If that's true, then we need to find it as soon as we can..."   
Callista remained silent during the exchange, unable to form a single thought. After Luke had helped her out of the refresher station, he and Leia had filled her in on their history with Xizor. Callista had barely even listened to what they had said, her mind still thinking about Hope.  
She had never met Xizor before, only heard stories about him. But she knew that he had been a very dangerous man, and one of the most powerful figures in the galaxy before the battle of Endor. And now he had her daughter. Hope. Callista could feel her eyes start to well again. She had not seen her daughter for days now; this was the longest she had ever been away from her. She missed hearing her daughter's sweet laughter, missed stroking her beautiful brown hair, missed tucking her into bed at night and singing her quietly to sleep...   
And now this had happened. The worst thing that could possibly ever happen to a mother...having her daughter brutally taken away from her.   
"So, what's our next move?" Han asked, jerking Callista out of her thoughts.   
"I don't know," Leia said, wringing her hands together, almost as distraught as Callista. She too had lost a child, and must have felt the same emotional turmoil Callista did. "Xizor wants everyone off Coruscant in two days, or he'll kill Hope. I'm betting that annoucement Xizor made was broadcoast throughout the entire city. I'm going to call a meeting of the Senate in a few hours, and we'll decide what to do."  
"What?" Callista said, the first word she had spoken in hours. "Why?" The group turned to her, bewildered. "Why bother with a meeting? Let's just evacuate the entire city!" Callista said. "Give Xizor what he wants."   
"But Callista," Leia said, "if we do that, he'll have control over the Republic's most powerful planet. Black Sun will have won."   
"But he'll kill my daughter!" Callista snapped as she rose from her seat and glared at Leia. "Are you saying that you're not going to meet his demands?"  
Leia's eyes were full of sympathy for her friend, but she refused to back down. "I am not going to allow this madman to destroy all that we have worked so hard to build for the past eleven years," she said, meaning every word she said. "And if that means refusing to give Coruscant over to Xizor...I'll do that."   
Callista was hardly able to believe what she was hearing. The anger she had felt earlier slowly started returning again. "You would sacrfice Hope?"   
Leia looked away from Callista, unable to meet her rage-driven eyes. "That question is unfair," she said. "I refuse to answer it."  
"Why won't you? Because it's true?"   
"Callista," Luke said softly as he went over to his wife's side, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Calm yourself. You're not thinking rationally. Now, I want our daughter back as much as you--"  
"You certainly aren't showing it," Callista interrupted, slapping his hand away.   
Luke recoiled in surprise, and continued, "--but there has to be another way to save her."  
"Like what?" Callista said, on the verge of shouting. "We don't even know where this Xizor is! He could be anywhere on Coruscant, and he has our daughter! He could kill her at any moment."   
She turned back to Leia. "Leia, please listen to me. I don't want Hope to die."   
Leia glanced at Callista for a brief moment, then turned to Chewie. "Chewie, could you take Jacen to see his sister?" she asked. The Wookiee nodded--apparently sensing the tension rising in the room--and took the little boy by the hand to Jaina's room. Once they were gone, Leia turned back on Callista.   
"Look, Callista," she said sharply. "I don't know what's going on with you, but it stops now! I'm sorry your daughter is lost, but that does not excuse your behavior toward us. You're scaring me, you're scaring everyone else around you. Do you have any idea how close to the dark side you are?" She went over to clasp Callista's hands, her voice softening. "Callista, I know what you must be going through right now--" "No, you don't!" Callista shouted in a voice so loud that Leia was literally knocked back a few steps. She glared at everyone in the room, the anger seething in her heart. "Hope is my family; she's the most important thing in my life! If she dies, a part of me dies to. I've already lost one daughter; do I have to lose another one?"   
Tears flooded in small rivulets down her sunken cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away. "You can say whatever you want Leia, but I will not allow you to sacrifice my Hope, not even for the good of the Republic. I'm not going to lose Hope the way I lost Kara. Ever."   
Leia stepped closer to her, her hands reaching out to touch her shoulders. "Callista, please, you have to listen to reason--"   
Without even realizing it, Callista slapped Leia across the face so hard that the impact resounded in the waiting room. Leia stumbled back, one hand going up to her bruised cheek. Han stepped forth to interfere, but Callista pushed him back with the Force, sending him back into his seat. She stepped away from her group, her eyes wild with fury and paranoia and she looked at each and every one of them.   
Luke remained still, unable to comprehend what had just happened. "Callista," he said in a weak voice. Callista ignored him and focused her eyes on Leia, who had backed away from her, obviously afraid. Her fear sent a thrill through Callista's blood. She liked it.   
"I don't care if you're family or not," Callista growled, pointing an accusing finger at Leia. "But if my daughter dies at the hands of Xizor, I swear on my mother's grave that she won't be the only one who will die. I can promise you that." As everyone stared at her, horrified, she turned and strode out of the room.  
  
Guri terminated the transmission, and Xizor smiled at her. "So, how do you think it went?" he asked with alacrity.   
The Human Replica Droid nodded in approval. "Excellent work, my lord," she said. "No doubt, the entire city is in an uproar at this very moment."   
Xizor's smile widened. He could almost imagine the look on Skywalker's face when his reptilian face appeared on every holovid screen in Imperial City. No one on the planet had been expecting this...no one.   
"Do you think they'll heed to your demands?" Guri asked.  
Xizor shrugged. "They will...or Hope will be killed. Either way, I win." He sat down on his throne and stared at the viewport of the sprawling city, imaginging the reactions of everyone in the metropolis who had heard his speech. "So...how did it go with the child?"   
Guri frowned. "The little brat refused to take a bath," she said. "I tried to force her into the water--and even contemplated drowning her--but she somehow kept pushing me away with this strange, invisible power...I believe the Jedi call it the 'Force'. She is resting now in the quarters you requested for her."   
The Black Sun prince nodded. "She has so much power," he hissed. "No wonder the Kerash warriors want her so badly."   
As if on cue, his Rodian assistant entered the chamber. "My lord," he said in badly accented Basic. "The Kerash warriors have come for Hope."   
Xizor flashed a grin at Guri. "See? These Kerash certainly do not waste their time." He nodded to his assistant. "Come. Let us go meet them."  
  
Hope jerked awake with a scream as she sat up in her spacious bed. She had just had a horrible dream--a dream with lots of screams, people dressed in black, their faces unrecognizable, and so much blood spilling across her vision. Her blood. A cold stab of fear paralyzed Hope as she realized that something really bad was going to happen to her.  
  
Callista stormed into her room and flung herself into her bed, finally letting out all the tears, the frustration, and the anger she had been bottling up for the past few days. Her body shook with sobs as she violently bashed her head over and over against the wall. She had never felt this horrible before...not even when her mother had died.   
_I can't believe what's happened to me,_ she thought as she continued crying. Images of her hand striking Leia, her hand going up to her face, her eyes wide with fear, shock, and betrayal... How would her family trust her now, after this? How could they ever forgive her?   
_The dark side..._   
She could feel the temptation, stronger than ever. It beckoned her, whispering dark thoughts into her mind. The more she felt her anger rise, the closer she was to the dark side. If she didn't control her feelings fast, it would be too late for her.   
After minutes of sobbing, Callista tried to calm herself down. Using a technique Djinn had taught her, she closed her eyes and concentrated, allowing the Force to permeate her body, quell her burning emotions, send the darkness out of her heart. For a moment, it started to work, and Callista could feel herself calming down-- Until she heard an all-too-familiar voice.   
_Well, isn't this pathetic? The legendary Callista who punished her own daughter for joining the dark side if now slipping away as well. How...hypocritical.   
_Callista slowly turned around. The voice that had been haunting her for years in her dreams had finally returned to her. "Kara."   
She looked around the room, waiting for her daughter to appear at any given moment.   
But she didn't.   
"Kara!" she shouted, her voice echoing. "I know you're in here! Show yourself! Come out and face me, or hide like the coward you are!" The anger she had worked to rid herself of immediately returned tenfold; she couldn't help it this time, and did not even bother to fight it. She could hear her daughter's laugh...in her mind. _You amuse me, Mother. Do you really think I would show myself now...when my plans are now falling into place?   
_Callista realized that Kara was speaking to her in her mind from the spiritual realm, almost telepathically. No one could else hear her daughter but her.   
_What plans?_ she demanded, not opening her mouth, but communicating through the Force.   
_Oh, come now, Mother, Kara said. Don't tell my you've already forgotten. Who do you think is behind your daughter's disapperance?   
_Callista could feel the terrible realization sink in as everything started falling into place. Who else could have constructed the Cray droid other than someone who knew her personally?   
_I should have known it was you, _Callista said in disgust_. But then...maybe deep inside, I always knew, but afraid to admit it.   
_She could hear Kara laugh again, her voice low-pitched and chilling. _You never fail to disappoint me, Mother. I knew you would figure it out sooner or later.   
Why did you do it? _Callista asked. _How could you steal your own sister from me?   
Perhaps I had best explain from the beginning, _Kara said_:  
When you abandoned me shortly after I was born, I was taken in by an old couple who were descendants of the original nomads who founded the Kerash religion. They knew about it too; they kept one of the few written records about the Kerash, which had been passed down to them from generation to generation.   
When I was old enough, I read through it and found out everything I needed to know about them: where they came from, their sun goddess Arak, the prophecy about the end of the world... After my foster parents had died, I continued learning about the Kerash. Even when I was under the tutelage of the Emperor, I was obsessed with them. Eventually, I went to the homeworld of the Kerash. The journey lasted many months, for the planet is located deep within unexplored space.   
I finally found it, and saw that the planet was mostly made up of primitive villages, people who knew nothing about their glory days. Well...you might say I helped re-educate them with the tablets my foster parents left behind.   
In years, I had gathered a cult made up of thousands of men and women, people willing to die for Arak...for me. I studied the ancient writings of the Kerash priests left behind in their temples, where I learned powers not even a Jedi could master, such the ability to possess another being, which was how I able I was able to take over your friend Tionne.   
And what does Cray have to do with this? _asked Callista. In her mind, she could feel her daughter smile._   
I eventually left the Kerash homeworld, looking for you. You see, Mother, I had never forgiven you for leaving me behind for your own selfish purposes, and I was planning to get even. I tracked you down all the way to the Moonflower Nebula. I watched as you helped your dear husband destroy the _Eye of Palpatine_. I watched as Cray offered you her body so that you could have a chance for a new life.   
When I saw you with Luke, I was overcome with so much rage. You now had a new life, and had completely forgotten about your own daugher.   
_Callista shook her head. _Kara, I never forgot about you--   
Silence! _she hissed._ I built Cray shortly after her death. I controlled her every movement, every thought. The Kerash knew this, too. They knew that she was merely a pawn, masquerading as their leader. She had no real power over them, and never did.   
_Callista nodded, waiting for her daughter to continue. _   
I eventually followed you to Yavin 4. There, I was surprised to find an ancient Kerash temple hidden deep within the jungle, untouched by human hands for eons.   
_Callista's eyes grew wider as she remembered._ The temple we found you in, she said. It had been a Kerash stronghold.   
Very good, _her daughter chuckled._ The temple had been built centuries before the Massassi's arrival, by the original nomads. The feline warriors I used against you and your friends were the spirits of the nomads, the ones who created the Kerash Order.   
_Callista recalled the ferocious battle in the temple, the screech of the cat-like beasts as they attacked Luke and the others, her duel with Kara as mother and daughter fought to the death-- --and Kyp's lightsaber slicing through her._   
So, _Callista said_. You've been planning this from the very beginning. When you visited me on Dathomir, you told me that someone would be coming. And that someone is Arak, isn't it? The sun goddess of the Kerash. You plan on resurrecting her, don't you?   
You catch on pretty quick, _Kara said._ I visited the Nightsisters when you were on Dathomir. I knew you would try to interfere with my plans, hence the vison of your death. I told the Nightsisters to make sure that it was carried out...and they failed.   
But this time, there will be no failure. There will be no vision of death. This time, there is just the goddess Arak, who will bring death and destruction to the rest of the galaxy! Your daughter--my sister--and your nephew is the key.   
That's why you've taken her, _Callista said_, gritting her teeth. And I want her back.   
_Kara laughed_. Oh, I don't think so, dear Mother. You'll be lucky if you get to see your precious daughter's corpse when I'm finished with her. Consider it my revenge for what you have done to me.   
What I have done? _Callista shouted_. It wasn't my fault that you let yourself be consumed by your anger. It wasn't my fault that you became the monster you are today. The only person you should be blaming, Kara, is yourself.   
Be careful of what you say, Mother_, her daughter said in a threatening voice_. If you want Hope to live.  
You lay one hand on her, and I swear by the Force I will--  
You'll what? Kill me? _Kara laughed._ You won't do that.   
_Callista had to smile at that_. Give me a reason not to.   
There is something I must show you, _her daughter said_. Something I have kept hidden from you for over three years...   
_Darkness spilled across Callista's vision, and the world around her dissipated into oblivion...  
  
Nighttime on Yavin 4. Most of the Jedi Academy was asleep now; Artoo-Detoo strolled down the dark corridors, keeping watch, but other than, the Padawans and teachers peacefully slept. Even when they weren't awake, their connections to the Force remained strong and alive.   
Except for Callista.   
Entering Cray's body had come with a great price. It had completely stripped her of her Force abilities, shutting her off from the great powers she had once wielded. It felt as if a very part of her soul, her essence, had been ripped away from her like a piece of her own flesh, never to return.  
She was now with Luke again, the man she loved more than anyone else...and yet she couldn't help but feel a great emptiness every time she saw him use the Force.   
Until this night.  
As Callista slept in her bed, her chest slowly rising as falling as she breathed, a shadow towered over her, cutting her away from the dim light that radiated off the gas giant and through the small window in her room. Callista turned in her sleep as if she could unconsciously sense that someone was in her bedroom, but she did not wake up.   
Kara stood over her mother, tracing one clawed finger lightly over her chin.   
"Poor, dear Mommy," she whispered. "You traded your powers for another chance of life. Your connection to the Force is now gone, leaving you helpless and vulnerable to the dangers of the universe." She allowed an evil smile to slowly spread across her face. "But not for long," she added.  
As Callista slept, Kara held her wrist over her head. Using one claw, she dug deep into the flesh, digging in until she drew blood. She held back a grimace of pain, careful not to wake her mother up. She watched as several small drops fell from her wrist and into Callista's mouth. Within seconds, she could feel the blood coursing through her mother's veins, reawakening her dormant powers. Her connection with the Force was once again established, as if it had never disappeared in the first place. Kara smiled, and left the room. Callista remained asleep, unaware of the powers she had regained...  
  
Callista screamed as the vision disappeared, and she found herself in her room on Coruscant again. Her mind rang as she heard her daugher cackle.   
_Yes, Mother,_ she growled. _I'm the one who gave you your powers back. And you should be grateful for that. Without them, you would have been a whimpering dog, lost and alone in the brutal universe. I did you a favor._   
Callista's face was sticky with tears she had not known had fallen as she tried to form words. _Why?_ she gasped.   
_Very simple, Mother. I knew that you valued the Force more than anything else in your miserable life, save for your husband and Hope. Your prized it more than you did your mother, your family...and even me. I gave you back what you wanted...but at a price.  
What? _Callista asked weakly, knowing that she did not want to know.   
_My blood still lives in your body,_ Kara said._ It is what keeps your powers alive within you. If you kill me, Mother--and I know you will try to when you find me--you kill off your only connection to the Force. You will be blind to it once again, will lose the special bond you have with Luke and the other Jedi. You will be a normal human being, and will stay that way until the day you die. Doesn't sound very pleasant, does it?_   
Callista could barely contain the terror she felt as her daughter spoke those words. When she had first regained her lost powers, she had thought of it as a blessing. But now...everything she had believed in for the past three years had now been shattered by the reality of it all. If she killed Kara, she would lose her powers once again...and perhaps permanently.   
_And quite frankly, Mother,_ her daughter continued. _I don't think you're able to sacrifice that. _Her voice started to fade away_. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. We will meet again, Mother...and this time, I will not be pulling any more punches...   
_Callista couldn't respond as her daughter's voice left her. She sank to her knees, completely at a loss of what to do or say. She couldn't even cry now.   
It felt as if she would never be able to cry again.  
  
"I can't believe Callista did that," Luke said sullenly as he sat down in the waiting room, watching as Leia held an ice pack up to her bruised cheek. "I have never seen her like this before. She has no idea how close she is to the dark side."   
"Poor Mistress Callista," moaned Threepio.  
"Losing her daughter is probably hurting her more than we had thought," Leia said. "I know how she feels."   
"Well, I seem to recall that you never struck anyone when our kids were kidnapped," Han said, clearly angry over what had happened. "Callista had no right to do that. If she keeps this up, we're gonna have to lock her up."   
"Master Han, are you sure that's wise?" Threepio asked. "After all, she's family."   
"Well, family or not," Han snapped at the protocol droid, "that doesn't excuse what she did to Leia. I'm all for locking her up."  
"No," Luke said sharply, meeting his brother-in-law's eyes. "That won't do you any good."  
"Now, Luke, I know that she's your wife and all, but you have to admit...she's a bit borderline.  
"You don't understand," Luke interrupted. "Callista is a Jedi Knight, remember? If we lock her up, she'll definitely find a way to escape. It would only be a matter of time."   
Han sighed, and laid an arm around his wife. Luke couldn't help but sympathize with him. His own wife had been struck by someone very close to him. It had been a personal betrayal, and must have hurt very deeply.   
"But we can't just let her wander around freely," Han pointed out. "She might end up getting someone--maybe even herself--hurt...or worse."   
Luke nodded. "You're right." He stood up from his seat. "You can leave that to me."   
Leia looked up at him, concerned. "Luke, are you sure--?"  
"Look, I'm the only person Callista will listen to," the Jedi Master said. "If any of you try to step in, she'll just try to shut you out. Besides, you both have other, problems to worry about...like Black Sun, for instance."   
Leia nodded, finally agreeing with her brother. "You're right. I'd better call Mon Mothma and arrange a Senate meeting. I'm still not sure what we're going to do against Xizor. And Chewie and Threepio can stay here with Jacen and Jaina, and make sure they're safe."   
"You can count on me, Mistress Leia," Threepio said, standing straight and tall. "Besides, the children have missed several days of school. They'll need someone who can bring them their make-up work."   
"I'll contact Isolder and the Hapan fleet," Han offered. "We could use the firepower."   
"Good," Luke nodded. "I'll talk to Callista. Hopefully, I may be able to snap her out of it."   
"Be careful," Leia said softly. Luke nodded, gave his sister a calm smile, and headed out of the waiting room.  
  
Callista was curled in the window seat of the room she shared with Luke, contemplating the rain as it trickled down the transparisteel pane. Dialogues replayed in her mind:   
"You're scaring me, you're scaring everyone else around you. Do you have any idea how close to the dark side you are?"  
"Who do you think is behind your daughter's disappearance?"   
"You will be blind to it once again, will lose the special bond..."   
"She is coming..."   
Frustrated, Callista pounded the window and made her way to the fresher. The apartment was dark; she hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. Inside the fresher, she stared at her reflection for several moments, before opening the medecine cabinet behind the mirror. She knew she wasn't going to find anything, but she wanted to confirm it for herself. She didn't know what she would have done if there had been anything in there anyway...   
Callista wandered back into the sitting room and knelt in the center, closing her eyes and wondering what she could do.   
_Kara...  
You called?  
_ Callista turned and looked over her shoulder, saw the dark form standing in darker shadows. "What are you doing here?" She demanded. _I have a proposition for you,_ the figure thought-spoke. "And that is?"   
_I know where they are keeping Hope. I will take you.   
_"In exchange for what?"  
_ Something that will be revealed in due time.  
_ Callista bit her lip. That probably meant it was something unpleasant. But what options did she have? Hope may die before too much longer, and Callista was sick of waiting for the official answers.   
"Okay," she acceded. Ten minutes later, Callista scribbled a note for Luke on a sheet of flimsiplast, and she was gone.  
  
Luke opened the door of his apartment. It was dark inside. "Callista?" he called.   
No answer.   
"Callista?" He called again. "Are you here?"   
When she didn't answer this time, he began to worry. He checked the kitchen, the sitting room, the fresher, but she was nowhere to be found. Then he checked the bedroom. On the bed, he found a crumpled sheet of flimsi, on which was scribbled a note:  
  
_Dearest Luke,  
I once told you that sometimes there is nothing you can do. This is not one of those times. I'm afraid I may lose my mind if I stay here and do nothing, especially after everything that happened today.   
I've learned horrifying things about myself, things that Kara never told me before she died. If I can ever face myself again, if I can ever face you again, I have to make sense of it all, make it worthwhile. I know how I can do that.   
Luke, please don't hate me. I've gone to find Hope. I spoke with someone who knows where she is, and they are taking me to her. Keep the peace on Coruscant; I will deal with this on my own.   
I love you so much. I swear to you that I'll be back in a few days. But I have to find her, Luke. I can't stand her in danger.   
Please don't try to call me. As soon as I get where I'm going, I'll contact you.  
Love always,  
Callista  
PS: Please tell Leia I'm sorry, and Han too.  
_  
"Xizor's alive?" Jaina gasped as she sat up in her hospital bed. "But how? Didn't Mom and Dad kill him a long time ago?"   
"I don't know," Jacen answered as he sat next to his sister. They were the only two people in the room. The grown-ups had all left the MedCenter. Chewie was standing outside the room, keeping watch, while See- Threepio had gone off to Jacen and Jaina's school to collect all the schoolwork they had missed--_Oh, joy, _Jacen thought.   
"So, Hope and Anakin are gone?" Jaina asked sadly.  
Jacen nodded. "From what the grown-ups said, Xizor and those warriors who attacked us wanted them for some reason."   
Jaina sighed. "I don't get it."   
"Yeah, me neither," Jacen replied. "Sometimes, I wonder if we'll ever be able to live a normal life like most kids do."  
"No, I don't mean that," Jaina retorted. "I mean, why Anakin? How come every time some new bad guy comes, they always want Anakin? I mean, first Furgan, then Hethrir, and now Xizor? How come they're never interested in us? What are we, chopped liver?"   
Jacen had to laugh at that. He knew his sister was just trying to lighten up the dark mood they were both in. "Well, whatever the reason, it's got the grown-ups yelling at each other," Jacen said sadly, the laughter instantly dying out. "Especially Aunt Callista. I think this whole thing has really hurt her."  
"Yeah. I just wish we can see Hope and Annie again," Jaina as she laid back against her pillow, all the energy drained out of her.  
Jacen gave her a sly smile. "Maybe we can," he said.   
Jaina looked over at him. "Oh, no," she said. "What are you planning, Jacen?"   
"Since the grown-ups are at each other's throats, I guess it's up to us to set things right," Jacen said.   
Jaina groaned, knowing what was going to come next. "What do you have in mind?"   
"I've got a plan. We're going to save Hope and Annie."  
  
"Ah, welcome, Armenia," Xizor said as he and Guri entered the hangar bay. The Kerash warriors had just stepped out of their ship, the _Fallen Moon, _with Armenia in the lead. "So nice to have you in my humble abode."   
Armenia merely nodded. "It is an honor to meet you again, Prince Xizor." She allowed a small smile to creep at the edges of her lipsticked mouth. "We saw your announcement on the holovid. Quite impressive, I must say, and definitely unexpected."   
Xizor chuckled. "What can I say? I love surprising people." He looked around and noticed that the blond woman who had visited him earlier was not present. "Where is your leader, Cray Mingla?"   
Armenia's emerald-green eyes hardened. "Your guess is as good as mine, Prince Xizor," she said coldly. "As far as I am concerned, she is dead...and I am now in charge of the Kerash."   
The Falleen managed a simple shrug. "Well, none of that is any of my business anyway." He looked over at Guri. "I suppose you have come for the child."   
The Kerash woman nodded. "If you please. She and the boy must be brought to Anasazi immediately."   
"Then, by all means, do with her as you wish," Xizor said. "I have no further purpose with her."   
Guri looked startled. "But, my lord, what about the ransom?"  
"The Republic thinks that I have Skywalker's daughter," Xizor said, raising a hand to quiet his assistant. "That is all we need. I have no doubts that when they evacuate Coruscant, they will still believe that I am keeping the child in custody."   
The HRD slowly nodded as things began to make sense. "I understand. So, both parties will get what they want."   
"Exactly." Xizor flashed a guileful smile at Armenia and turned back to Guri. "Bring Hope here."  
  
Hope got up from her bed, unable to shake this horrible feeling that something terrible was going to happen to her. She looked around her room to see if anyone or anything might jump out at her at that moment, but nothing happened. Not that it made her feel any better.   
_Get out of here, a voice whispered malevolently in her head. Get out of her, as fast as you can. They're going to hurt you if you stay...   
_Hope barely suppressed a whimper of fear, unable to control her trembling. Suddenly, everything began to make sense: Xizor wasn't as nice as she had thought he was. She didn't know why, but something inside her told her that he was planning on killing her. In just a matter of seconds, everything had changed.   
"I've gotta get out of here," Hope whispered, as the dream returned to her in horrifying flashbacks. She could still see her blood, the flames that reached for her, the people in black surrounding her...   
The door to her room suddenly slid open, and Hope shrank back against the wall as Guri entered, her face expressionless save for a frightening coldness in her eyes.   
"Hope Skywalker," she said in a voice that almost melted Hope into ashes. "You're coming with me." She started toward the little girl, and Hope screamed.   
"Get away from me!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Don't touch me!"   
"Don't bother resisting," Guri said as she grabbed Hope violently by the wrist. "My lord has no further use for you. So we're giving you away to the Kerash. If you try to struggle, I'll have to break your arm."   
Her mind on the verge of exploding, Hope let out a scream loud enough to burst the eardrums of a krayt dragon, and unconsciously used the Force to propel Guri back, sending her flying through the closet door. Hope stood there, motionless, for a fraction of a second. Then, when she saw Guri starting to get up, she took off running out of the room._ Get out of here!_ the voice continued to whisper, slowly growing into a painful shriek. _Get out! They're coming to get you! They're coming to get you!   
_Hope ran and didn't look back.  
  
Sitting alone in the cockpit of the _Millennium Falcon_, in the hangar bay of the Imperial Palace, Han remembered the last time he had talked to Isolder. It had been at his and Teneniel Djo's wedding, just a few months after Han and Leia were husband and wife. The first time they had met, Isolder had been seeking Leia's hand in marriage in order for the Hapes Cluster to join the New Republic in the war against the Empire. Han immediately became untrustworthy--and maybe even a litte jealous--when he learned of this. As a result, Han ended up on kidnapping Leia and bringing her to the barren world of Dathomir. Isolder and Luke followed them, and together, they faced a myriad of Imperial warships, led by the now-dead warlord Zsinj, Nightsisters, the Singing Mountain Clan...and Isolder's future wife.   
Now, Isolder and Teneniel were happily married, and had a daughter, Tenel Ka, who was living on Dathomir at the moment (for she despised Hapes). Teneniel was the Queen Mother of the entire system, and one of the most powerful leaders in the galaxy, backed up by an extremely worthy fleet. Which was what the Republic now desperately needed. Han took a deep breath as he contacted the Fountain Palace of Hapes.   
It took a few moments before a fist-sized image of Astarta, Isolder's bodyguard, appeared on top of the console.   
"Yes?" she asked.   
"Astarta, it's Han Solo," Han replied. "I need to speak to Isolder. It's an emergency."  
Astarta nodded, and her image disappeared, replaced almost immediately by one of Prince Isolder. Isolder certainly hadn't changed much since Han had last seen him. He was still tall, still handsome, and still held an aura of power and confidence that Han could feel inside the cockpit, despite the fact that he was only a holographic image.   
"Well, long time, no see, Han," the prince replied with a chuckle. "How have you been?" Han offered him a tired smile. "Not good, I'm afraid. Listen, we've got a major problem here on Coruscant..."  
  
Leia sat in her seat on the Chief of State platform, dressed in a white ceremonial robe as she addressed the New Republic Senate. Mon Mothma, the former Chief of State, stood to her left, and Admiral Ackbar, the commander of the Republic fleet, to her right. The Senate Hall was one of the most peculiar-looking chambers on Coruscant. It looked eerily like an arena or colosseum, with steel, circular walls surrounding over them, an an enormous roof that towered over the senators like a god about to pass judgement on them. Over a thousand senators from different worlds--worlds that had sworn allegiance to the New Republic--had gathered for the meeting today on their various platforms, all talking nervously amongst themselves. They had all seen the shocking announcement from Xizor the same time Leia had, and everyone was frightened by the return of an enemy they had once thought was vanquished.   
Leia too was suffering an inner turmoil due to the recent revelation--which not only included Xizor, but also the apperance of the Cray Replica Droid, and the kidnapping of her son and niece--but something else bothered her, more than anything else that had happened in the past week.   
It was Callista's frightening behavior. Leia's cheek still stung from the slap her sister-in-law had given her. Although it did hurt, even worse was the emotional pain she felt, a pain that would not heal for a long time. Callista was one of her closest friends, and was family. And to see her lose herself into the dark side terrified Leia to no end. She hoped Luke had found her by now. If anyone could talk some sense into Callista, it was Luke. Hopefully, he would find her before things got even worse.   
Mon Mothma must have noticed Leia's uneasiness, for she laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. Leia looked over at the older woman and offered her a small smile, silently letting her know that she was all right. Mon Mothma was one of the strongest people Leia had even known. She had once nearly been assassinated by Caridan Ambassador Furgan when he splashed a poisonous drink onto her face. Thanks to Cilghal, Calamari's Ambassador and one of Luke's first students, the poison was neutralized and Mon Mothma survived, but she stayed in retirement, giving her position to Leia. Even so, she remained to be one of the most important figures in the New Republic.  
Leia gave her a nod, and took a deep breath. It was now or never. Mon Mothma stood straight and tall and quieted the senators down as the meeting began, her voice magnified by hidden microphones in the walls. "The Chief of State of the New Republic wishes to address the Senate on this newest threat looming over the horizon." The various conversations between the senators immediately ceased, as all eyes fixed on Leia. She stood up from her uncomfortable seat and began to speak. "Members of the New Republic Senate," she began. "Apparently, an old enemy we thought to have been destroyed has returned like a phoenix from the ashes. Approximately two hours ago, Prince Xizor of Black Sun sent a broadcast thoughout Imperial City, informing us that he has my niece, Hope Skywalker, the daughter of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, in his clutches. His demands are that we evacuate Coruscant within forty-eight standard hours, or he will take Hope's life."   
"This madman must be stopped!" said Senator Kracha, a three-eyed Gran from Malastare. "He must _not_ be allowed to take over Coruscant. It will mean certain doom for the Republic."  
"I understand that, Senator," Leia said, "but there are complications."   
"Complications?" asked another senator, this one a Bothan. "What kind of complications? We cannot meet Xizor's demands. If we give him Coruscant, Black Sun will have won."   
"But this is the daughter of Skywalker we are talking about," replied Senator Sayorga, a female Calamarian.   
"Maybe so, but we're also talking about the life of one girl against the lives of billions upon billions of people," the Bothan senator shot back. "Are you willing to risk losing so much that we've worked hard to gain?"   
Leia flinched at those words. She had said almost the exact same thing to Callista in the MedCenter. And she had meant it that one time. But now...   
"I understand where you're coming from, Senator," Leia said, her voice booming across the Hall. "But there has to be another way."   
"There is no other way!" Senator Gjorm, who represented the world of Munto Codru, exclaimed. "I know that this girl is your niece, Chief of State, but if we surrender, we'll be giving Xizor exactly what we wants. Absolute control over Coruscant. And we may not be able to get it back."   
A Wookiee senator roared, echoing Gjorm's sentiment.   
"That's where you are wrong, Gjorm," Mon Mothma said confidently, looking over at Leia. "You see, the Chief of State has a plan that will work."   
Leia grinned at the old woman and looked over at the gathered senators. "As we speak, my husband is contacting the Hapan government. If things go well, they will sent all the firepower we have here. Whatever Xizor has at his disposal, it cannot possible be a match for an entire fleet of Hapan Battle Dragons."   
"Sounds reasonable," the Bothan senator said. "But won't an orbital battle risk laying waste to Imperial City?"   
"Yes," Leia nodded. "Which is why I plan to evacuate Coruscant as quickly as possible."   
At that moment, the entire Hall erupted into a storm of shouting, as the senators displayed their disapproval. Leia held up her hands in an attempt to quiet everyone down. When the shouting was down to a minimum, she continued. "I know that you may not agree with me on this," she said. "But trust me, this is the best way. We don't know where Xizor is hiding, and he probably won't show up as long as Coruscant remains populated."   
Realization started to dawn on the Bothan's face. "So, we flush him out?"   
Leia nodded. "We'll take every ship we have, and evacuate every last citizen of Imperial City, and take them to the fringes of the system. Once the Hapans arrive, they--along with Ackbar's ships--will land on Coruscant and comb the planet for Xizor. And I guarantee that once everyone has left, Xizor will show himself, thinking that he has won."   
"But are you sure that's enough?" asked another senator. "What if Xizor has a secret weapon that can thwart the Hapans?"   
Leia held up a finger. "That's why I plan on making a trip to see the Barabels and the Verpines in the next hour or so. With Black Sun on the rise again, we'll need all the help we can get. The Verpines and Barabels are very powerful, and if we can arrange a peace treaty to end their long fued, we will emerge stronger than ever. And _that_, my friends, will guarantee victory for us."   
The senators talked quietly amongst themselves, Leia's words starting to get to them.   
"So there is no time to lose," Leia said as she prepared to close the meeting. "We evacuate Coruscant before forty-eight hours is up. Black Sun must be stopped once and for all."


	6. Llia and Leanna

Chapter 6  
  
Tapping a couple of keys on her data pad, Leanna quickly pulled information up on the screen. Skimming through it briefly, she mentally held back a curse and sighed. _In a thoroughly grumpy mood_, she thought, _Great, just great. Can't they ever stay out of trouble once when on Ord Mantell_?   
Setting the data pad aside she quickly gave in a command to the scanner, mumbling, "Of course not, that would be too easy. They attract trouble like a magnet." Looking at the green dot she quickly jotted the location down on a piece of flimsi. Looking up she said, "Well, dear friends, you're on your own for a while.... Besides, you're not in any immediate danger, unless you consider spending the night in a holding cell in danger. But knowing you two, you probably do."   
Tapping a couple of commands in she studies the places Boba Fett's ship has been. Several minutes later she noticed it was time to drop out of hyperspace and swiftly pulled her ship out. Upon exiting hyperspace, Leanna noticed a red blip near a planet before it disappeared. Writing the globe's name down on a small corner of the flimsi she thought, _Boba boy, you sure don't like holding still for very long. Oh well, right now I have bigger fish to fry. But don't worry I'll probably be after you next if everything goes according to plan. But, knowing my luck it probably won't.   
_Narrowing her eyes, she let her thoughts go. Gracefully she guided her ship into the atmosphere of Coruscant and into a lesser populated area. Landing her ship, she pulled her cloak around her, covering her black jumpsuit. After walking down the boarding ramp, she locked her ship up. Looking around, she noticed a crowd of people talking in hushed whispers. Raising an eyebrow, she made her way towards one of them and asked, "Sir, what's going on?"   
Turning around from the crowd in surprise the young man asked, "Don't you know?"   
Shaking her head she thought, _If I knew, I wouldn't be asking now would I?_  
"Hope Skywalker has been kidnapped!"   
Furrowing her brow Leanna thought, _So, that's what Boba Fett was doing._   
Thanking the young man, Leanna added to the mental list of, 'What to hurt Boba Fett for,' and walked a little ways away thinking, _Ok, I have three choices. One, I go the relatives, preferably the parents and tell them the possible, but small, lead I have. Two, I can check this lead out myself, or three, I can go back to my own quest of finding my sister_.  
Stopping, she sighed, switched direction, and headed towards the Imperial Place with a single thought, _Why do I always get involved in other people's problems?_  
  


*  


"Callista?"  
Her father poked his head into her room. Callista looked up from her desk--she had been working on her Chemistry homework--and smiled up at him. "Hey, Papa," she said, unable to control the grin that widened across her face. Seeing her father always made her day even better.   
"Could I speak with you for a minute?" he asked.   
Callista nodded. "Sure."   
He nodded as he came into her room and sat down in the chair next to hers. "So, what have you been up to lately?"   
"Oh, not much," she said as she focused back on her schoolwork. "My Chemistry teacher expects us to turn in a three-page essay describing the nucleus of an atom," she said, clearly irritated. "I think sometimes she forgets that we're only six-year-olds, not teenagers."   
Her father chuckled softly. "I envy you, sweetheart. I never had anything like this when I went to school at your age."   
"Why? I hate this stuff!" Callista whined. "I mean, I'm just a kid, and our teachers expect us to do work that my older sisters couldn't do."   
"But think of all the benefits," her father said. "You're going to be a very bright girl when you grow up, Callista. I can see you being a doctor, or a nuclear physicist, or..."  
"But I don't want to be any of those things," she cut in. "I want to be a Jedi. I want to be able to use a lightsaber, and fight the forces of evil. That would be so wizard!"   
Her father smiled as he ruffled her brown curls. "You would make a fine Jedi, Callista," he said. "But I'm afraid only people who can use the Force to become Jedi. But you would make the ideal Jedi, my little angel."  
Callista blushed. Her father's compliments meant more to her than anything else in the world. "Thanks, Papa," she said. "So...what did you want to talk to me about?"   
"Oh, yes," he said. "Callista...why didn't you let your mother help you with her project?"   
Callista looked up at him, startled. This was definitely unexpected. "Um...well..." she said, unable to think of an answer. "I just didn't need her help, that's all."   
Her father nodded. "But, why?"   
"Because I know that if I ever need help with something, I can just ask you," she said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "You're my hero, Papa, and I love you more than anything else in the galaxy."   
Her father smiled down at her, but Callista could sense a layer of sadness underneath the facade. Something really must have been bothering him. "But...don't you love your mother as well?"   
Callista nodded. "Of course I do. Why would you think I wouldn't?" He sighed. "It's just that you two don't spend much time together. I mean, most of the time, you're either doing something with me or Uncle Claine. Never with your mother. And she's lonely because of that."   
"But what about Josef? Or Arkna, or Maya? She can spend time with them, can't she?"   
"True," her father said, "but she already has. Many times. I don't want you to be offended by this, Callista, but...you always seem to be pushing your mother back. Like you're trying to avoid her."   
Callista drew back from him, feeling her temper start to rise. "Why, just because I didn't need her help on a project? If you ask me, Papa, I think Mama's overreacting just a little bit."   
"Maybe so...but with your life day approaching tomorrow, it would mean a lot to her if you spend some quality-time with her," her father said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "I think she'd really appreciate that."   
Callista felt her anger instantly evaporate when she felt her father's comforting touch, and she offered him a good-natured laugh. "Okay, Papa, if it makes Mama happy, I'll spend the entire day with her tomorrow. Oh, and that reminds me..." She opened one of the desk drawers and took out a small bracelet made from a rainbow of colorful clamshells.  
"I made this for her," she said. "I'm planning on giving this to her tomorrow, after the party. I know that I'm the one that's getting all the presents, but I think she deserved something too."   
Her father smiled as he kissed her on the forehead. "I'm sure she'll love it," he said. The little girl nodded in return. "I hope so..."  
  
"Awwww, how touching."   
Callista gasped as her eyes fluttered open. She looked around and saw that she was standing in the prison bay of the Imperial Palace. The lights were darkened, giving the corridor a dim, menacing appearance. And there, standing right in front of her, was Kara.   
"Where am I?" Callista demanded. The apparition gave her an amused look.   
"Where do you think, Mother?" she said. "You were the one who told me to come here before you leave for Anasazi. You wanted to bring the Cray droid with you."   
Callista blinked her eyes as she tried to remember. For some strange reason, she had completely forgotten about that. She turned back to Kara and tried to regain her composure. "So, what now?" she asked.   
The demon smiled. "With the denizens of Coruscant evacuating in the next two hours, you'll be able to free Cray with little interference. Take the fastest ship you can find and go to Anasazi. You will find your daughter and nephew there."   
"How do I know that you haven't already killed them?" she snapped.   
"You don't," Kara replied. "You'll just have to trust me." She reached forth with one clawed finger and traced it lightly over Callista's cheek. Callista couldn't feel her finger as it slowly ran down her skin. Even so, she still backed away, glaring at her daughter. "See you soon, Mother," Kara said, as she vanished into nothingness.   
Callista looked around the corridor to make sure that no one was around. She took a deep breath--_I am so not ready for this_, she thought--and took out her lightsaber. With a snap-hiss that reverberated in the dark hallway, the weapon sprung to life-- --and cleaved through the prison door.   
Almost immediately, a cacophony of alarms poured into Callista's ears, nearly deafening her. She tried to ignore it and rushed into the brig, blocking her eyes from the smoke that rose from the charred metal.   
Seconds later, she saw Cray.   
The Human Replica Droid was crouched against one corner, a faraway look in her pale eyes. She seemed frighteningly human...and Callista knew that Cray probably had no idea of who she truly was. Callista could sense a squad of armed soldiers heading their way.   
The droid slowly stood up, wary. "What are you doing?" she demanded.   
Callista pursed her lips. "You're coming with me."  
  
Reaching the Imperial Palace, Leanna saw a guard standing by the door and thought, _Well, it makes sense that they would tighten security up. Only an idiot would make the mistake not to_. Walking toward the man, she pulled her cloak around herself tightly.   
"Excuse me, sir, but I need to talk to Luke or Callista Skywalker. Are they here?"   
Eyeing her suspiciously he replied gruffly, "Why do you want to see them?"   
"It's about their daughter, Hope Skywalker."   
Seeing the surprise in his face she continued. "I have a possible lead as to where she might have been taken to."   
Taking in Leanna's attire, the guard slowly took one step back, pushed a button on a device concealed in one of his pockets as his other hand held his blaster at her and said, "How do I know you're here for that reason and not to kidnap the other Solo children?"   
Furrowing her brow in confusion she asked, "What are you talking about?"   
Keeping his weapon pointed at her chest he snarled, "A couple people dressed similarly to your, attacked the Solo family in their home and kidnapped their youngest son, Anakin."   
"What?" She asked in shock while thinking, _What's going on?! First Skywalker's daughter is kidnaped and now Solo's kid is captured... What's next, Palpatine raising from the dead_?   
Looking the guard straight in the eyes she said, "Listen, I not sure what's going on, but a do have a possible lead for Skywalker, so let me through. Now!"   
"Can't do that," the guard said pushing a switch on his blaster. The small movement, however, didn't go unnoticed by Leanna's keen eyes. She kicked the blaster to the side a mere second before a stun blast was shot. Spinning on her heel she delivered a roundhouse shortly followed by a sweeping kick, sending the guard to the floor. Quickly she moved around the surprise guard and through the door, while thinking, _I admire you for doing your job, but I have a job of my own to do and getting shot at is not part of it_.   
Rounding a corner she briefly glanced behind her and notice a couple of guards coming down the corridor towards her. Putting more energy behind her flight, she thought with a twinkle buried in her ice blue eyes, _Here we go again.... Idiot guards tangle with Weapons Master, take two._  
  
Leia and Han watched through the window of her office as over a dozen Republic transports lifted out of Imperial City and headed up into orbit, leaving Coruscant behind for Black Sun to take over. They gripped hands together as they watched the chaos that unfolded before them.   
From the window, Leia could make out the blurred shapes of millions of people crowding the streets, waiting impatiently as they were taken off the planet. The entire city had been in an uproar ever since Xizor's announcement, and there was no calming them down until the entire city was evacuated. Leia shuddered as she could only imagine what it felt like down there, and she was grateful to be inside the Palace at that moment.   
"Leia, are you sure this is the best thing to do?" Han asked, holding his wife's hand tighter. "I mean, to give Coruscant to that slime..."   
Leia returned to squeeze, and gave him a smile that attempted to hide her true feelings. "Trust me, Han. I know what I'm doing."   
Han could easily see through her facade, and he sighed. "Don't hide your feelings, honey," he said. "It won't do you any good. Just tell me what you're feeling right now."   
Leia finally released all the pent-up emotions she had been holding within her for the past few days and leaned her head against Han's shoulder. "It's everything, Han," she said sadly. She knew that she would soon start crying, but didn't bother to stop it. "Our entire world has been turned upside-down. Our son is kidnapped, Hope is gone, my daughter's in the hospital, Callista is getting closer and closer to the dark side, Xizor is back and wants Coruscant, and on top of all that, I have no idea where to begin searching for him." She felt her husband's strong arms encircle her waist, and she let out a huge, frustrated sigh. "I just hope this plan works. If we can just find Xizor...everything will turn out all right."  
"You'll find him, Leia," her husband whispered in her ear. "You just have to trust the Force, that's all." Leia smiled as she rested in her husband's arms, and for a brief second, she felt more content than she had been ever since Hope and Anakin had disappeared. For a few minutes, all of her problems vanished. She knew it wouldn't last long, and reality would eventually rear its ugly head again, but for now, she was willing to relish the few seconds of peace.   
It was quickly interrupted when Admiral Ackbar burst into her office. "Madame Chief of State," the Calamarian said. Leia pulled away from Han and nodded at the commander of the New Republic fleet.   
"Yes, Admiral?"   
"I think it's time for you and your family to be leaving," Ackbar said in the deep, grave voice that was the trademark of most Calamarians. "It's too dangerous for you to remain here on Coruscant. We have a shuttle waiting for you on the roof."   
Leia nodded. "Thank you, Admiral. It's probably a good idea. Besides, I need to be heading for the Verpine System as soon as possible." She looked over at Han. "Go find Luke and Callista and tell them that we'll all be leaving as soon as possible. I'll go to the MedCenter and pick up the kids."   
"No problem," said Han as he headed for the door, then stopped. "Where is Luke, anyways?"   
Suddenly, as if on cue, the door slid open, and Luke entered the room, a haggard expression on his face. "Luke!" Leia exclaimed, sensing his panic. "What's wrong?"   
"Callista's gone," her brother said. "I went to our apartment, and she left a note for me. She said that she was going to look for Hope, but didn't tell me where she was going."  
Leia and Han exchanged concerned glances. As if things couldn't get any worse... she thought bitterly.   
"And there's something else, too," Luke continued. "Cray's escaped."  
  
"It's started," Xizor quietly observed as he watched the evacuation of Coruscant begin. Armenia stood next to his side--her fellow Kerash soldiers waited behind them--as they watched through the massive window in his office, silently gazing as transport after transport lifted from the Imperial City Airport, heading for the depths of space. "Everything is going according to plan."   
Armenia nodded, her face expressionless save for a fiery look in her emerald eyes. "Interesting..." she whispered. "I must hand it to you, Prince Xizor, Black Sun may be the hammer that will shatter the New Republic once and for all."   
The Prince of Black Sun chuckled. "Why, thank you, my dear. It wasn't easy, either. This took years of planning, years of hiding from prying eyes...but it has all finally paid off. I shall finally have control of Coruscant. I shall finally have my revenge."   
As he spoke, he found that he couldn't take his eyes off the Kerash leader. She had a certain beauty about her that he had not seen in a woman for years, as well as a fiery spirit. Gorgeous, yet deadly...much like Guri. Xizor liked that in a woman, and he made a mental note to spend more time with Armenia.   
One of the Kerash warriors stepped forward. "I hate to break this up, and this is all very fascinating, but where is the child?"   
Xizor turned his head back and flashed a dangerous glare at the man. "Patience," he hissed. "Guri will be here soon...with Hope." He turned to Armenia, who was still viewing the activity outside the transparisteel. "I'm just curious, why do you want the girl?"   
A sneer cracked at the corners of Armenia's lipsticked mouth. "You will all see soon enough," she said ominously, not meeting Xizor's gaze.   
Xizor briefly pondered what the white-skinned woman meant by that, but he brushed it aside and continued watching the evacuation, waiting for Guri to arrive. Seconds late, the Human Replica Droid burst into the office. She was bleeding from a small cut on the left side of her forehead, as if someone had slammed her against a wall..   
"My lord," she said brusquely. The Prince turned to her.   
"Yes, Guri. Where is Hope?"   
"Skywalker's daughter has escaped," Guri snarled "I went to her room to apprehend her, but she used her powers to attack me. She threw me into the closet and ran out."   
Armenia's eyes met Xizor's, and she did not look pleased at all. "So much for delivering the child to us," she snapped, looking over at her warriors. "Go find her! She couldn't have gone far."   
"I'll send every man I have," Xizor said. "We'll comb the entire place for her." Armenia nodded, and the Kerash warriors silently left the room like an army of droids. The white-skinned woman started to follow them, but Xizor stopped her with a hand. "Would you care to remain here with me?" the Prince of Black Sun offered. "I could use a little company."  


*  


  
_ Oh, great_, Hope thought as she ran down one of the numerous hallways in Xizor's headquarters. It was still fairly dark, with only a few glowbulbs shining dim light from the ceiling, and Hope could barely see five feet ahead of her.   
She had been running like this for quite some time now, and she still had no idea where to go. At least she hadn't run into any guards yet, but she knew that wouldn't last for long. _What was I thinking that this place wouldn't be so bad?_ Hope thought angrily to herself. _I should've known that Xizor guy was up to something. I hope Mommy and Daddy beat him up when they find him...if they find him. _She considered calling her parents through the Force. She had done it before; she could surely do it again. As she stopped in her tracks, and began to concentrate, she heard a loud buzz bursting through the speakers in the ceiling. The little girl cried out in pain and covered her ears. What the heck was that sound? An all-too-familiar voice poured through the corridor, drowning out the deafening buzz. It was that butt-hole, Xizor.   
"Attention. Attention. Hope Skywalker has escaped. I repeat, the daughter of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has escaped. All personel, be on alert, and bring her to me in my office, unharmed. Repeat, do not kill her." Hope groaned as the voice poured through the speakers and banged painfully against her eardrums.   
"Too LOUD!" she shouted over the growing din. "Someone, turn the volume down!" Of course, no one listened to her, and the alarms continued their annoying buzzing. _Boy, this is worse than listening to Jacen's singing... _As Hope tried to concentrate and summon the Force--which was extremely difficult due to all the noise--she could hear a succession of footsteps hammering down the dark corridor. Accompanied by shouting.   
_Aw, crud, _she thought. _Busted_. Panicking, Hope looked around the corridor, wondering how she was going to get away from all this. But there were no doors, except for-- A garbage chute. Hope could hear the guards closing in on her. She quickly thought of her options. It was either go down in the garbage chute, or get captured by Xizor's goons.   
"There she is!" one of the guards cried out, and they doubled their speed. Hope uttered a desperate groan, took a deep breath--   
--and launched herself into the chute. _What did I do to deserve this_? she thought bitterly as she slid down the slimy tunnel.  
  
Rushing after the cloaked person the tallest of the three guards, complained "How could you allow him to get passed you!"   
Growling, the second guard corrected him. "Her. It was a girl." Running harder, he continued, "And she surprised me. I didn't think she could react that quickly."   
Shaking his head, the Bothan guard said, "That was where you went wrong. What I want to know is, why she has to be so darn fast?"   
"Well, this should slow her down." Replied the medium human guard, raising his blaster he shot a stun blast at her, only to have it miss by a hair's width as she skidded around the next corner.   
"BLAST IT," shouted Markaio, the second guard. Moments later something small sliced through the air and implanted itself in his blaster's power pack. Looking down in shock, he saw that the object was a metal blade in the shape of a...star?   
Noticing where the blade was, he quickly threw the blaster, grabbed the other two, and hit the deck. Seconds later it was followed by a small explosion. Picking himself up, the Bothan guard half observed, half joked, "I think she doesn't like stun rays."   
"Shut up, Royio!" Growled Markiao while he started after Leanna.   
"Here we go to get our butts kicked. Yeah, here we go to get defeated by a cloaked woman and I'm going to be so sore in the morning. Oh joy." The tallest guard jokingly sang while following his fellows in the chase.   
"Knock it off, Tailen!" snapped Markiao as he rounded the corner. "Grouchy. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," replied Tailen with his usual sense of humor. Suddenly, they spotted the cloaked figure and the two other guards raised their blaster and shouted, "Stop or we'll shoot!  
"Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I surrender!" shrieked a familiar metallic voice as the 'humanoid' turned around, arms up.   
Seeing the golden coverings Tailen asked in shock, "C-3PO? What are you doing here, and why are you wearing that cloak?"  
"Sir, I was one my way to the roof when a strange woman came and put this cloak around me. She told me that she was on an important mission to give Master Luke a message. She seemed in quite a hurry and said to keep this cloak on, though a droid wearing clothing is rather absurd. Don't you think so? She explained that it was one part of the mission and that a little girl might be in danger if I didn't follow her orders. And I don't want anyone to be hurt because then I'd be melted down for scrap metal! She also said that three guards would be coming and to do as they as long as it did not contradict her instructions. I must say humans have such strange behavior!"   
"Which way did she go?" Asked Royio.   
"I can't tell you that, sir." Replied C-3P0. "Why not?" demanded an enraged Markiao. "Why, she told me not too, sir."  
  


*  


Meanwhile in another corridor, Leanna turned around another corner and thought, Now to find Skywalker. Golden-boy should keep the guards busy for a while. Protocol droids are good for that.   
  
Callista's ship streaked past the garrisons that orbited Coruscant, weaving through the escaping ships that were fleeing the planet in the wake of Xizor's threat.  
"Where are you taking me?" Cray asked from the copilot's seat. Callista had bound her hands together, in case she ever tried to make an escape. "You still haven't told me anything about where we are going."   
"You'll find out when we get there," Callista said, perhaps a bit too harsh. She added, voice softening, "I'll need your help, Cray. I can't do this without you."   
Cray laughed, her voice tinged with a layer of anger. "You expect me to help you? That's the funniest thing I have ever heard. Thank you, Callista. You have just made my day."   
"Cray, what is your problem?" Callista snapped as she pulled back the hyperspace lever. The stars on the viewscreen transformed into long white lines as the ship went into lightspeed. "Why do you feel so much hate toward me? What have I ever done to you?"   
"Figure it out, Callista!" Cray shot back in a tone so scorching that Callista was taken aback. "You killed Nichos. Remember the _Eye of Palpatine_, dear? You set off the self-destruct system and destroyed the entire battle station. My lover--the best thing that ever happened to me-- died in the blast. Master Skywalker and I barely escaped with our lives." She sat back in her seat, finally having vented her fury, and muttered, "Makes me wonder what drugs Skywalker was on when he married you."   
Callista swallowed a lump in her throat. None of the events Cray had just described were true in any way, shape, or form. How was she going to tell her the truth about what had happened, that she was not even human anymore, that she was a... "Cray, I need you to listen to me for a minute," Callista said softly. "And listen good."   
The other woman nodded, mock-bored. "I'm all ears."   
"Cray, none of that ever happened. Nichos did die, yes, but it wasn't by my hand. He sacrificed himself to destroy the _Eye_, so that it could not complete its mission to exterminate the Jedi. He was a hero, Cray, in the best way imaginable. And...you were there by his side, as the explosion swallowed you both into oblivion." Callista risked a glance over at Cray, and saw that the woman was now listening attentively. She had now Cray's full attention. Was she believing her, or was it just an act? "Before you died, you gave me your body, so that I could have another chance for life...so that we could both be with the men we loved." She allowed herself a brief smile as she thought back to Luke. "I'm in your body still, Cray, up to this day." Cray nodded as she took all the information in, doubt and puzzlement still coloring her features. "But...if you're in my body now, then...how am I still here?"   
"That's because..." Callista hesitated, dreading how she was going to put this into words. She reached forth with one hand and placed it gently on the other's shoulder, offering her some comfort. "...you're a droid."   
Callista could feel Cray's body go limp with shock as she said those worse. The other woman--the woman whose body Callista now inhabited--rested her head on the leather seat, suddenly drained of energy.   
"A droid," she whispered, and looked down at her bound hands. Her left hand had been severed by Callista, and the stump was bandaged up to stop the bleeding. But there was no blood. No blood at all.   
"A droid," she repeated, and laughed humorlessly. Callista wished there was more she could do for Cray, but she pulled back and took the controls.   
"I'm sorry, Cray," she said. "I truly am. The Kerash constructed you after your death, and put false memories into your central processing unit. Everything they have ever told you has been a lie. And now we have to stop them. Together."  
"What are you going to tell your husband?" Cray asked from the copilot's seat. Callista didn't favor her with a glance. "I'll tell him..." she shook her head. "...when I know what to tell him. As it is, I don't know myself."   
"You're close, then? You and Skywalker?" Cray pressed. Callista felt a little unnerved by the personal questions.   
"Yes..." she said hesitantly.   
"Ah. I see," the droid said, and was silent for several minutes. Then she muttered, ever so quietly, "Then why haven't you told him you're pregnant?"   
Callista whipped around and looked at the droid. "How did you know that?" she demanded.   
Cray chuckled. "I'm a droid, Callista dear. I could tell from the minute we meant, though I couldn't explain why, until now."   
Callista sighed. She didn't know why she hadn't told Luke. She felt like she didn't want to trouble Luke with more burdens. If he knew of her "condition" he would lock her in their bedroom before letting her actually go and fight for their daughter herself. And she wasn't about to let that happen. "Let's get one thing straight, _dear_. You don't involve yourself in my personal affairs, and I don't involve myself in yours. We only share what is necessary. Got it?"   
Cray looked at her a beat, then nodded. "Stars help us when business becomes personal, then." She muttered.  
  
_Ewwwwwww_! was Hope's first thought as she sailed out of the garbage chute and flew headfirst into a pile of trash large enough to pass for a small mountain. She groaned as she impacted the muck, nearly drowning in it, and pushed herself to her feet.   
"Oh, no," she moaned as she surveyed the damage. She was covered head to toe in slime, from her arms to her legs, and even in her hair. She could feel tiny pieces of goo and scrap metal stuck in her brown hair. "How am I ever gonna get this out of my hair? Could this day suck any more?"   
As Hope stood up, she accidentally slipped and tumbled uncontrollably down the mound of garbage. She landed none too gently into a filthy puddle of battery acid. "I spoke too soon," the little girl said as she spat some of the liquid out, careful not to swallow any of it. As she stood up--more slowly this time--Hope looked at her surroundings. She was in a garbage chamber, about as big as Anakin's bedroom. A few glowbulbs from the ceiling provided some light, but the room was still pretty dim. Daddy had told Hope numerous times about his near-death in a garbage masher on board the original Death Star. He, Aunt Leia, Uncle Han, and Chewie had almost been crushed to death if not for the assistance of Mr. Threepio and Mr. Artoo. As Hope dug her way through the garbage, she briefly wondered if the walls would start closing in on her as well.   
_They better not,_ she thought. _Or I'm gonna hurt someone._ Hope's eyes continued exploring the room, and found a small hatchway ten or twelve paces up ahead. It seemed to be bolted shut, but it was her only way out. It was either that, or wait to be crushed into a bloody pulp. The little girl grunted as she practically swam through the brownish-black muck that barred her from the door. Several times, she tripped and fell right back into the garbage. _As if I wasn't dirty enough_, she thought bitterly as she wiped the grime off her arms and legs._ The first thing I'm gonna do when I get outta this yucky place is have a nice, hot bath._..   
Moments later, she reached the hatchway and hit the control panel next to it, hoping against hope that it was unlocked and would slide open. _Although, with my luck, I wouldn't bet on it..._   
Much to her surprise, the door opened. Hope stepped back in mild shock, then started laughing with joy as she dashed out of the garbage chamber. "Hey, cool!" she said. "Maybe things are looking up..."  
  
"Cray's escaped?" Leia could not believe what she was hearing. "But...how? How could she have--?"   
"She's a droid, Leia," Han said. "It wouldn't be that hard."   
"But this palace is covered head to toe with security guards," Leia pointed out, looking at both her husband and her brother. "Even if Cray did manage to escape her cell, there is no way she could have fought through our entire security. Someone would have caught her."   
"Unless she had help," Luke said, as he met Leia's eyes. They both were thinking the same thing.   
"No..." Leia immediately said, shaking her head. There was no way...she refused to believe that..."It can't be Callista." Han's face remained expressionless, but she could see the shock in his eyes. "You guys think Callista's behind this?"   
"There's no other explanation," Luke said. "I mean, both Callista and Cray are gone. And with Callista's recent outbursts of anger..." "There's gotta be another explanation for this," Leia desperately said. Although she still felt betrayed--and perhaps even a little angry--at what Callista had said to her and Han, she would _never_ believe that her own sister-in-law would set an assassin free. "Maybe Cray kidnapped her."   
Luke went over to her and laid his hands on her shoulders. "Leia, you know as well as I do that Callista can take care of herself. There is no way a droid can beat her in a fight." There was a great sadness is his voice as he spoke. "As much as I hate to admit it, it looks as if Callista has embraced the dark side." Leia looked away from her brother. She refused to believe it, but deep down inside, she knew he was right. And she couldn't convince herself otherwise.   
"Where did you think they went?" Han asked. "Are they still on Coruscant?"   
Luke shook his head. "I can't feel them anywhere on the planet," he said. "But I have no idea where they could have gone."   
Admiral Ackbar stepped forward. "Leia, with all due respect, you need to leave Coruscant as soon as possible. We can't ignore the threat of Black Sun."   
Leia barely nodded, not really hearing the Calamarian's words. So many things were happening all at once, and she had no idea where to start. "Okay," she said in a hushed whisper. "I guess the first thing we need to do is..." Before she could finish, the door slid open with a loud _whoosh_, disturbing the conversation. All eyes turned as a humanoid woman entered the room. She was tall--much taller than Leia, and even Han--and muscular, and wore a dark blue jumpsuit. Her skin was beyond pale, almost as pure white as milk, with ice-blue eyes that focused on the four people in the room. Her hair was tied in a twist, with a small, deadly knife place through it. Leia had never seen this woman before, but she could tell that she was deadly. And yet, Leia could also sense that her intentions were not hostile.   
"Who are you?" she asked in a calm, commanding voice.  
The woman nodded. "Madame Chief of State. My name is Leanna Kai. I have some information about the missing children."  
  
"Whoa, check it out," Jacen said as he viewed the evacuation from the enormous window in Jaina's MedCenter room. Wave after wave of ships numbering in the hundreds lifted off from the numerous ports in Imperial City and left Coruscant, like a pack of fleeing tauntauns, heading for the fringes of the system. "This is so cool!"   
"Yeah, whatever," Jaina said without any interest. "In case you forgot, Jacen, I am in bed, you know. And I'm very, very sick. I'm dying here, and you're over there admiring a bunch of transports in the sky, rather than attending to my needs. So, people are evacuating Coruscant. Oooooooh, big deal."   
"Give me a break, Jaina!" Jacen said with a laugh. "You're not dying, and you're gonna be back on your feet within two days."   
"You never know," Jaina said. "Haven't you ever heard of a relapse?" Jacen shook his head in exasperation, wishing for the billionth time in his life that he was an only child, and continued watching the evacuation. He had never seen so many starships in one day before, and it was a breathtaking sight. _The Senate must really afraid of Black Sun if they're gonna evacuate the entire planet,_ he thought. As he thought of the Senate, he wished Mom and Dad were here.   
"So, Jacen," Jaina said from her bed as she dug into a bowl of green and red gelatin cubes. "When are we gonna go rescue Hope and Annie?" Jacen looked away from the window and went over to sit next to his sister.  
"Not sure," he said. "Probably when the grown-ups aren't watching us, and when you're able to walk again. So the plan will have to be delayed for at least two days."   
Jaina nodded as she ate. "Are you sure you wanna go through with this?"   
"I'm sure," the little boy said, and he meant it. Hope and Anakin were his family, and anyone who messed with them were messing with him as well. And when Jacen was mad, no one was safe. He watched as Jaina chomped on the hospital food and grimaced. "Do you actually like that stuff?"   
Jaina shook her head, tossing her long brown hair side to side. "Of course not! What do you think I am, a dork? It's just that I'm starving, and this point, I'd probably eat a granite slug, and wouldn't even care."   
As Jacen began pondering what a granite slug tasted like, Doctor Poshkal entered the room, trailed by Threepio and Chewie. "How's my patient doing?" the Calamarian asked.   
"Fine," Jaina said, giving him the thumbs-up. "Great view, but the food only gets a one out of five." Doctor Poshkal chuckled--or at least, Jacen thought it was chuckling; it was hard to tell with Calamarians, it sounded like they were coughing--and then grew more serious.   
"Your mother called me half an hour ago, and wished for you two to leave the planet as soon as possible. We have a ship waiting for you in the MedCenter's hangar bay."   
Jaina groaned. "Do we have to?" she asked.   
"I apologize, Jaina, but your mother was very insistent," the doctor said. "My nurses will bring you a hoverchair, so you won't have to walk. But we have to hurry."  
  
"A toast?" Xizor said as he held up his wine glass in the air. It was filled almost up the brim with orange-red Corellian wine. He was in his personal quarters, the most decorative room in his domain, located deep underground, and protected by layers upon layers of durasteel walls, and his company was none other than the leader of the Kerash warriors. "What shall we toast to?" Armenia said as she mirrored Xizor's gesture.   
"To the end of the New Republic," the Dark Prince said, "and the birth of the new Black Sun."   
"And to the success of the Order of Kerash," Armenia added. "And the rise of Arak."   
Xizor nodded, and the two clinked their glasses together, and drank. The wine tasted sweet and soothing in Xizor's mouth, and he relished every second of it. He finished his glass within seconds and set it down on the table. His eyes wandered over to Armenia, admiring her cold beauty.   
"I wish you well in your goals, Armenia," he said, as he reached out with one clawed hand and traced it gently across one milk-white cheek.   
"Hopefully, yours will turn out to be as successful as mine." Armenia nodded in return, not a trace of emotion on her face. "I thank you, Prince Xizor," she said, as she turned and headed for the door.   
"Where are you going?" he called after her.   
"To find the child," was all she said as she left the room without waiting for an answer. Xizor blew out a deep breath as he filled himself another glass. "She was too cold for me, anyway," he said to himself.  
  
Leaning against the smooth wall, a child of ten scanned the corridors with her emerald eyes. The alarms had long since been silenced--thankfully, because her ears were still ringing from the harsh discordance that had been blaring from the speakers--and as far as she could tell, she was all by herself, the only sound being her quiet breathing, and her own echoing footsteps.  
But she knew that she would soon have company.  
Suddenly, just as she had predicted, a small child came running around the corridor. She was much younger--probably around two or three years old--and very beautiful, despite the shape she was in. Grime and pieces of trash clung to her disarrayed brown hair, and her bare arms and legs were caked with slime. Her dress--which had once been a creamy pinkish-white color-- was now torn apart and filthy. Her eyes were wild with fear and desperation, obviously unknowing of where to go. She ran past the older girl, not even giving her a second glance.  
"Take it easy, munchkin. Running from the guards, are you?" she asked in a friendly voice. The only answer to her question, however, was Hope heading down the corridor behind her. "Don't go that way! Guards will be heading down that corridor any second," the child warned. Hope finally skidded to a stop, and turned to face the older girl.   
"Who are you?" she asked.   
"And what the heck are you doing here in Xizor's place?"   
"I'm a fellow prisoner, just like you," the older girl replied, taking a few prudent steps toward Hope. "Don't be afraid of me, little girl. I mean you no harm. I just wanna help you get out of here."  
"Why should I believe you?" questioned Hope.   
"You don't have to believe me. But if you trust me just this once, I'll help you hide from the guards, I promise. But it's up to you, whether or not to trust me," she said as she tucked her black, mingled with silver, hair behind her ear.   
Biting her lip, Hope looked from the corridors to the older girl, and back again, thinking, She looks friendly and seems to want to help, but can I trust her? Hearing footsteps coming from the distance, she quickly made her mind up. She started to make her way to the left corridor when a hand snatched her wrist and pulled her closer.   
Struggling, Hope shrieked, "Let me go!"   
Pulling her closer, the emerald-eyed child said, "Hush, little one, or they'll hear." Seeing that she had Hope's attention, she continued, "You won't get far enough if you go that way. It's a dead end; they would catch you in minutes. Hide behind my cloak until the guards pass. It's your best chance."   
Weighing her options, Hope quickly hid behind the older child's black cloak. As the guards came up, the child glared at them and said coldly, "Before you even ask, the girl went that way." She pointed to her left.   
"Why didn't you grab her?" demanded the taller guard.   
Rolling her eyes, she replied with no small amount of sarcasm, "And do your job for you? No thanks; I'm having too much fun watching you two make fools of yourselves."   
"Why, you little..."   
"Get lost before you regret it...or did you forget how much it hurt when you tangled with me last week?" she commented, cutting his remark off.   
Glaring at the girl one last time, they headed off into the next corridor, muttering. Once the guards were out of sight, she whispered, "It's safe."   
Coming out from behind her cloak, Hope said, "Thank you. I'm Hope Skywalker."   
Giving her a friendly smile, the child replied, "Llia. Glad to meet you." Pointing at the corridor ahead of them, she continued, "That corridor shouldn't have any more of Xizor's guards in it. It also leads to a docking bay with a ship that should be leaving this world. Where it's going, I'm not positive, but it probably will be one of the few tickets out of here." Smiling brilliantly, Hope replied, "Thank you, Llia." She immediately set off down the poorly-lit hallway, thinking, _Now we're getting somewhere! Mommy and Daddy, here I come_...   
After walking a couple of paces, she heard Llia say, "I wish you the best of luck." Turning around, her brow furrowed in confusion, she asked, "Aren't you coming?"   
Looking at Hope with soft emerald eyes, she explained, "I have some things to take care of first, but I'll be heading there soon. Now hurry." Nodding her head, Hope took off running.   
_Now to leave this stupid place..._  
  
Once the child was out of sight and hearing range, Llia said flatly, "You can come out now, cousin."   
Stepping out of the shadows, Armenia snapped angrily, "You let her go! Why?"   
"Yes, I let her go, so she would trust me. Because of that trust, she'll do what I'll say more willingly, and she will be less suspicious if she thinks of me as a fellow prisoner who is trying to help her out."   
Taking a deep breath, she looked her cousin straight in the eyes and said evilly, "So, you see, cousin, I have her exactly where I want her."  
  
Admiral Ackbar immediately stepped forth and addressed the mysterious woman who had just entered Leia's office, a stern tone in his guttural voice. "You are not supposed to be here, Miss," he said. "How did you get past our security?"   
Leanna Kai offered the Calamarian admiral a mocking smile. "A word of advice, sir," she said. "Hire better guards, ones that can actually fight." Ackbar seemed taken aback by her comment, and moved forth as if to bind her, but Leia held a hand up.   
"Don't worry about it, Admiral," she said softly. "I can sense this woman's intentions. She didn't come here to hurt anyone." She locked eyes with Leanna, and offered a nod of acceptance.   
"You said that you have information about the disappearances of my son and niece. Tell me what you know." Leanna gathered herself together and took a few steps toward the Chief of State, all business-like.   
"Madame President, the two children were taken by the bounty hunter Boba Fett--"   
"We all know that already, Han said, exasperated. If that's all you came to tell us about, then--"   
"--and I know where Fett is," Leanna added in a sharp tone that silenced Han in a heartbeat. Leia looked over at her brother, feeling a small surge of hope. She then looked back at Leanna Kai, who now had her complete attention.   
"Where is he?" she demanded in a cold-layered voice.   
"I have been tracking Boba Fett for quite some time now," Leanna explained as she started pacing back and forth in front of Leia's desk. "I hold a personal grudge against that masked bastard...but that's another story, entirely. I tracked him halfway across the galaxy and finally to Ord Mantell. It was there that I learned of the kidnappings of Hope Skywalker and Anakin Solo."   
She took a deep breath before she continued, and looked Leia square in the eyes. "I just missed him, unfortunately, so I wasn't able to encounter him face to face."   
"So, what good will that do us?" Han said. "Fett's gone, and for all we know, he could be somewhere in the Unknown Regions."   
"Han, stop," Leia whispered as she laid her hand on his shoulder, quelling the anger she felt burning from him. "Calm down. Leanna has more to tell us."  
"Do you have any idea where he could have gone?" Luke asked.   
"I have some theories," Leanna answered as she stopped pacing. "Ord Mantell is located in the Bright Jewel System. There are many other planets and moons in that solar system that Fett could have gone to."   
Leia thought about that for a moment. "There is an Imperial outpost located on Garkonis, which is in the core of the Bright Jewel. Maybe he went there to get another job."   
"It would make sense," Luke agreed. "After all, Fett has worked for the Empire numerous times before."   
Leia nodded as she remembered Fett--and many other bounty hunters hired by her father, Darth Vader--going after her and Han after the famous battle of Hoth. "That's probably our best shot. If we can find Fett, we might be able to figure out where Hope and Anakin have been taken."   
"So, what exactly is the plan?" Han asked. Leia turned to face her brother. "I'm not going to be able to do this, since Han and I are going to the Verpine System. Luke, you could take a group of Jedi students and go to the Garkonis. Fett's a formidable bounty hunter, but not even he can stand much of a chance against a group of Jedi Knights."   
"No problem," Luke said in a confident voice.   
"I shall accompany you," Leanna Kai added. "I have a score to settle with Fett." For a brief second, Leia wondered what Leanna meant by that statement, but she brushed it aside and offered the other woman another nod.   
"Then it's settled, then," she said. "I wish you two the best of luck."   
"Leia," Han said, "are you sure this is the best thing to do?"   
"I'm positive," Leia replied. "Han, I'm willing to do anything if it means finding my son again."  
"And my daughter," Luke said. He went over to stand by Leanna. "Callista took our ship, so could we borrow the Falcon?"   
"Go right ahead," Han said. "But bring her back without a scratch. Got it?"   
Luke grinned. "Check. No scratches."   
"Leia," Ackbar interjected, "we must leave Coruscant now. We only have two days before the time is up. And it will be too late."   
Leia nodded. "I know, Admiral," she said. "But first, I have to make an announcement."  
Within twenty minutes, Leia's face appeared on every holovid throughout Imperial City, as well as all the transports leaving the planet. The Chief of State was standing on her hovering platform in the Senate Hall as she delivered her final speech before she joined the evacuation.  
"Citizens of the New Republic, I have an important announcement to make. Another tragedy has occured here on Coruscant. The prisoner Cray Mingla-- who and several others had tried to assassinate my family--has somehow escaped from her prison in the Imperial Palace.   
"Even worse, my sister-in-law, Callista Ming Skywalker, has been reported missing for the last two hours. Sources believe that she helped free the prisoner. From what we know, they have left Coruscant for parts unknown."   
As she spoke, two holographic images appeared on the screen next to her: one of Cray, the other of Callista.   
"I am offering a reward of a hundred thousand credits if anyone captures these two women and bring them to Coruscant, unharmed. Be very careful of these two; they are both unpredictable and dangerous.   
"May the Force be with you."  
  
Xizor had been watching the announcement on his holovid as well, mildly amused. As he watched the Chief of State's beautiful face blossom on his screen, he remembered when he had tried to seduce her, all those years ago, when Vader and the Emperor had still been alive. He had almost been successful, but Leia's strong will--and perhaps the Force as well--had defeated his charms.   
Now, as he watched her speech, only really half-listening, something caught his attention, as soon as the images of Cray Mingla and Callista Skywalker appeared on the screen next to Leia. He wasn't interested in Cray, for he had seen her before, and, although beautiful, did not exactly appeal to him.   
Rather, it was Callista that enamored him. Xizor had only heard of the infamous wife of Skywalker, had never actually seen her face before. But now that he had, he could scarcely believe his reptilian eyes. She was even more beautiful than Leia herself. Her long, dark malt-brown hair that hung in small curls around her shoulders, her smoke-gray eyes that displayed confidence and strength, her almost-pale, smooth, perfect skin, her muscular, well-built body...   
Xizor realized that he had been staring at her image for almost five minutes now. Never before had he been so captivated by a woman. He wanted her. As the Chief of State's speech drew to a close, Armenia entered the room. The sound of the door sliding open brought Xizor back into reality, and he turned his head as the Kerash woman burst into his personal quarters.   
"I have found the child," she said quickly. "It will only be a matter of time before she is in our grasp."   
She offered the Prince of Black Sun a bow. "I appreciate your hospitality, Lord Xizor. But it is time for me and my warriors to be going."   
"A moment, please," Xizor said, as he pointed one clawed finger at Callista's image on the holovid screen. "What do you know about that woman?"   
Armenia's eyes rested on the Jedi woman, and she growled. "That is Callista Skywalker, the wife of the Jedi Master. She defeated me in combat when we were searching for her daughter in the Underworld. She is now on her way to Anasazi...with Cray."   
Xizor nodded, and looked over at the white-skinned warrior. "I would like to accompany you to Anasazi, if that is fine with you and your comrades." Armenia seemed surprised by the Dark Prince's demand, then nodded.   
"As you wish. Meet me at the _Fallen Moon _in ten standard minutes." She turned and left the room. Xizor looked back at Callista's image, a smile curving across his lips.  
  
As the Doctor left in search of a hover-chair for Jania, Jacen flopped down next to her on the bed. "Now what are we going to do?" he asked, his brown eyes troubled. "Once we're on that ship, there's no way we'll be able to help rescue Annie and Hope."   
Jania pushed herself up, wincing as little bolts of pain ran through her legs. "Yeah, you're right." Jania glanced around the room, "Unless..." she let the thought hang in the air.   
"Unless what?" Jacen keeped staring out the window at the fleeing ships.   
"Jacen, where did Chewie go?" Jania was craning her neck to see out of the door, into the hall.   
Jacen shrugged, "I think he said something about calling Mom. Probably to say he's coming with us on the Med-ship. Why?" He glanced at her.   
"Because what if we find our own way off world?" Jaina was getting excited.   
Her brother looked at her, puzzled, "Hun? I don't get it." Jacen had no idea what his sister was talking about.   
Jania sighed, "What if we sneak out of here," she indicated the MedCenter, "And programmed a ship to take us to Hope and Annie!"   
"But we don't know where they are!" Jacen pointed out.   
Jania groaned, "Jacen, you aren't thinking!"   
She tapped her head, "You can normally sense Hope through the Force, right?" She watched as Jacen finally figured out what where she was going with this.   
"Yeah. So I can lead us to them through my connection with Hope!" He grinned at her. Suddenly his smile faded, "Hold the Wookie! How are we going to get there? You don't know how to fly a ship."   
Jania shrugged, "I've seen Daddy and Chewie fly lots of times. How hard could it be?"   
Jacen jumped of the bed, "Alright!! Let's get out of here before that Doctor comes back!" Jania threw off the covers and Jacen helped her out of her medical gown and into a dress that Leia had left for her. Jania's legs were wrapped in bandages, but she nodded when Jacen started to help her out of bed. The second her feet touched the floor, she cried out as sharp needles of pain raced along her legs. Her knees buckled and she would have fallen if Jacen hadn't caught her.   
"Are you sure you can do this?" Jacen asked, worry written all over his face as he slung Jania's arm around his neck, taking most of her weight. Jania nodded, forcing herself to ignore the pain. Leaning heavily on her brother, she took another step, biting her lip to keep from crying out again.   
Slowly, the Solo twins made their way out of the room.


	7. The Bond

Chapter 7  
  
"Ha!" Callista shouted with glee as she poked her toy lightsaber into the chest of a holographic Tusken Raider. The image let out a bellow of pain as the fake weapon's blade pierced through its heart, and it slowly disintegrated into the air. Callista flashed a look over at her pet mooka, Jeebie, who was sprawled lazily on her bed, watching as she played with her new holo-game. "So, what do you think of my new combat skills, Jeebie?" she asked with a hint of pride in her voice.   
Jeebie merely cooed and ruffled his white feathers, apparently unimpressed with Callista's mastery of the fake lightsaber. Callista grinned as she programmed the simulator game to conjure up another holographic opponent. She and her family had just finished celebrating her seventh life day, and it had been one of the best parties of her life. Everyone was there: her parents, her uncle, her brother and sisters, her friends from school, and most of her relatives who lived on Chad. Everyone had given her presents, more than she had ever received on a life day. The best present of all was the new holo-game Uncle Clain had given her, which came equipped with a toy lightsaber. He knew Callista's dream to be a Jedi and, though she had no actual Force talent, he indulged her fantasies, against her parent's will.  
The group had gone outside to resume the party on the beach. Callista and her mother had remained behind (it had been her father's idea to lead all the guests away, so Callista and her mother could have some time to themselves). Her mother was in the refresher right now, and would be out in a few minutes. That was when Callista would give her the seashell bracelet. _I hope Mama likes my bracelet,_ Callista thought as she brought her toy lightsaber crashing through the head of the holographic rancor that stood before her, roaring in pain as the blade tore through its flesh.   
_I'm sure she will. I mean, after all, she's my mother. How can she not like anything I make for her? _Callista continued practicing with the weapon, and the minutes slowly passed by. A thin layer of impatience started showing itself as she waited for her mother to come out of the refresher. _What's taking so long?_ Callista wondered. After waiting for ten more minutes, the little girl began to realize that something was wrong. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if something horrible had just happened. She looked around her room--at her bed, at her pet mooka, at the mound of presents that laid in one corner, at the window that showed the guests mingling near the beach--and felt a cold iciness tear through her heart.   
"Mama?" she said, weakly, as she headed over to open her door. She looked out the hallway--the refresher was right across from her room--and shouted, "Mama? Are you all right? What's taking so long?" She waited impatiently, but there was no answer. Callista groaned, trying without much success to let her fear overcome her, and tried once again. "Mama, it's me! Are you okay?" Again, there was no answer. "Mama!" As Callista shouted, she dashed out of her room, and straight for the refresher door. It was only five or six steps from her doorway, and yet it felt like an eternity as Callista ran. She could feel her movement slow down, the hallway surrounding her starting to blur, as she opened the refresher door. And what she saw was a sight that would forever haunt her. Her mother was laying, almost lifelessly, on the refresher floor, sprawled in a crumpled heap. Her skin was as pallid as that of a ghost, and her breathing came out of her nose in shallow, faint gasps. In her hand Callista saw a bottle of arsenic, and half of it was gone, the rest spilled across the white tile. Her mother's eyes slowly fluttered open as they found her daughter.   
"L-Lissy..."   
"MAMA!" Callista somehow found the ability to speak again as she rushed to her mother's side. She gathered her head in both arms, unable to control the sobs that tore apart her body. "Mama, why? WHY?"  
"Lissy..." she gasped weakly as she grasped Callista's hand. It felt so fragile and limp. "I'm sorry..."   
"No!" Callista begged, ignoring the river of tears she shed. "Mama, please, please don't die!"   
"It...It is too late, Lissy," her mother rasped. "It's too late for me." "No!" the little girl shouted again, suffocating her mother with kisses, as if hoping that would cure her dying mother. "No! No! No! No! There's still time. We can call for help! We--"  
"You can't, darling," her mother whispered, her voice growing fainter and fainter. "The poison kills fast. I won't survive..."   
"Why did you do it, Mama?" Callista sobbed, gripping her head even tighter. "Why?"  
"Because...Because I love you, Callista," she said. Somehow, a small bit of her strength returned as she held her daughter's hand. "Lissy...I'll be there, when you come. Come to me, when it's your turn to pass."   
Callista nodded, her face masked by her hot tears. "I will, Mama. I promise, I promise..." She kept saying those words, over and over again, and she watched as the poison killed her mother, the woman who had given her life, the woman she had always taken for granted, and now would never be able to tell her how sorry she was, that she wished she could be given a second chance... Her mother nodded one last time, still holding Callista's hand, and breathed her last.   
Callista's screams shattered the dreamscape as she awoke and returned to the inside of the small ship. Cold sweat dotted her body, and she quickly realized that she was trembling. As she tried to control herself, Callista took a moment to remember where she was. In her personal quarters on board her ship, the _Shapeshifter_. The lights were off, and she could barely see ahead of her. Not that it mattered to her, after the nightmare she had just had. Callista wrapped the covers tightly around her body, the dream still fresh in her mind. She could still see herself when she was seven years old, on her life day, holding her mother's dying body, a flood of tears blurring her vision as she wept. She could still see her mother struggling vainly to breathe, her final words, her final gasp for air before the cold hands of death grasped her and took her away...   
The death of her mother had been a turning point for Callista in her life. It had forever changed her--though not for the best--and left her a shattered, frightened little girl without a mother. The tragedy had affected the rest of her family as well, more than anyone could ever expect, but none more so than Callista. For she could never get rid of the guilt she had. It was her fault her mother had committed suicide. As far back as she could remember, her mother had done her best to care for Callista, to protect her from the horrors of the galaxy, to give her a home, to make sure she got a good education, to love her. And all she had ever asked for in return was for Callista to love her back.   
And she had never gotten that.   
Callista always held her father in higher regard than her mother. Her older sister, Arkna, had once said that it was because when Callista was born, her father was the first thing in the world she ever laid her newborn eyes on. Her father was her best friend. Callista would always spend the most time with her father. Any time Callista needed help with something- -whether it be about school, or boys, or Jedi lore--she would always come to her father first. Never her mother. Her mother was expendable to her. Callista knew that she was crying, but she made no move to wipe the tears.   
"It should have been me," she said hoarsely, the trembling starting to return again, as if an internal earthquake was raging inside her. And in a sense, it was. "It should have been me who took that poison. I deserved it." Callista remembered the last time she had seen her mother.   
First, it had been at her wedding, shortly after the defeat of Admiral Daala. Her mother had been a ghost, wishing for Callista to join her in the afterlife. And Callista had refused, saying that it was not her time yet.   
Then on Dathomir, when she and Luke had been crucified by the Nightsisters, on the brink of death, preparing to cross over to the other side. Her mother had been there, a beautiful smile on her face, welcoming her daughter with open arms. And still...Callista decided to go back. Said that it was not her time to cross over. How she wished she could have taken that back. _What are you doing to yourself?_ her mind demanded harshly. _This is crazy! My mother's death was not my fault! She made her decision, and had to pay the consequences.  
_ Callista violently shook her head, her eyes darting around the room, as if someone was actually speaking to her. "What is happening to me?" she said aloud. "Am I going crazy?" Finally deciding that she needed some fresh air, Callista got up off her cot and slipped into her jumpsuit and boots.   
The _Shapeshifter_ was on autopilot, still heading for Anasazi. Callista had never heard of the planet before until today, and had no idea of how to get there. And yet, somehow, she knew. "This is getting really weird," Callista muttered as she left her room and headed for the quarters next door to her, where she had left Cray. The HRD had been bound to her bed, so that she would not make an attempt at changing the ship's course. Callista may have been going insane, but she was not stupid. Callista opened the door to Cray's room, and stepped inside. The lights immediately flashed on, and she stepped back in shock. Cray lay sprawled on the floor, at least five feet away from the cot. Somehow, she had managed to break free from the stun-ropes Callista had used to bind her to the bed--_Of course_, she thought. _She's a droid._--but made no attempt to escape. And she had slashed her neck with a broken piece of glass. Callista looked up and saw that Cray had smashed the mirror on the wall into millions of sharp, jagged pieces. There was glass scatted around the entire floor, and Callista was grateful that she had decided to wear boots before entering the room. She ran over to the woman's side, fearing the worst.   
"Cray," she said as she lifted the droid's chin to inspect the wound. She could see wires and sparking circuits through the broken skin. Had Cray been human, she would have died within seconds. She had cut herself deep enough to almost pierce her Central Processing Unit. "Cray, are you all right?"   
Cray's eyes snapped open, and she let out a bitter laugh. "No blood," she observed, as she rose to her knees. "Not a drop, Callista." She sniffed as she picked up a piece of glass as large as Callista's arm. "Funny. In all the years I've been ali...I mean, running, I never knew the truth of who I was. I never knew that I was a...a tin can. Basically, my whole life has been a big lie." There was sadness in her voice as she spoke.   
Callista bit her lower lip, unknowing of what to say. She let her hand gently on Cray's arm, her eyes glassy with sympathetic tears. "Cray, I'm sorry."   
Cray chuckled again, and jabbed the glass through her chest. Callista grimaced as the pointy edge bore right through Cray's left breast. She let out a small grunt as the blow connected, but again no blood spilled out. "See?" she said, pulling the glass out as if it was no more than a feather. "Droids don't bleed. And I didn't even feel a thing."   
Her eyes suddenly flew over to Callista, and she pressed the weapon against her jugular. "What about you, Callista? Do you bleed?"   
Callista immediately drew back without an answer, glaring at the other woman. "Don't even think about it, Cray," she snapped.   
The droid scoffed as she threw the glass against the wall. "Don't call me that," she said. "I'm not Cray. I never was. I just look like her." "Please, you need to listen to me," Callista begged. "What you're doing to yourself...it's not good. You're just destroying yourself."   
"And your point being?" she shot back. Callista sighed, on the verge of just giving up. "Look, you may not be the real Cray, but that doesn't mean you're worthless. You still have some purpose in life. You can help me stop the Kerash and Xizor before it's too late. You can be a real hero."  
"Oh, please, don't even start with that sanctimonious bantha crap," Cray said in disgust. "If you have nothing important to say, then I don't wanna see your face. Get out." Callista opened her mouth, as if to say something else, but then stopped. There was no point to it. It would only make Cray more bitter.   
"You know something?" she finally said after a few moments of silence. "You aren't Cray. Cray was a real hero. She gave up her life to save others. You're nothing like her."   
Cray narrowed her eyes at her for a long time, as if Callista had finally struck a nerve, and the comment had actually hurt. Finally, something in her seemed to give in, and she looked away, heaving a heavy sigh. Without waiting for an answer, Callista turned and stormed out of the room.  
  
As Hope ran down the dull, metallic corridor--practically out of breath, and a sharp needle of pain tearing in her side due to too much exercise-- she felt a great sense of relief that she had not felt in a long time. She was now so close to leaving this stupid place and returning back home. _And then we'll teach that meanie-butt Xizor a lesson... _she thought with a wicked grin. Her footsteps thudded in a repetitive pattern as her feet--one without a shoe--hit the floor noisily, and from beind, Hope could barely hear Llia's footsteps as the older girl tried to catch up with her.   
Hope still wasn't a hundred percent sure she could still trust this strange girl, but as long as she helped her escape, she was fine having her tag along. "Are we close to the docking bay?" Hope shouted from behind her shoulder.   
"It's not far now!" Llia yelled back, sounding practically out of breath from all the running. "Hope, shouldn't we stop to take a rest? I'm getting really tired!"   
"Sorry, no time for that," Hope said as she doubled her speed. "Keep running!"   
Llia mumbled something under her breath that Hope didn't quite get, but she ignored it and continued her sprint until she reached a pair of steel doors at the end of the dark hallway. She finally paused to catch her breath, barely able to even gasp for air. "Is this it?" she asked as Llia finally caught up with her.   
Llia nodded, apparently as winded as Hope was. "But you'll need the password in order to open the doors."   
"Password schmassword," Hope scoffed. "Who's needs a password when you got a Jedi on your side?" Hope motioned for Llia to step back. The older girl obliged, and she took a few steps forward, her eyes half-closed in concentration. Within seconds, an invisible hammer smashed against the twin doors, ripping them apart as if they were made out of paper. The metal bent inward, and the doors caved in as the Force pressed down upon them. They collapsed to the floor, all in a matter of seconds. Leaving nothing between Hope and freedom. Llia assessed the sight, looking down at Hope with quite a bit of surprise-- and perhaps even fear--in her eyes.  
"That was amazing," she said.  
Hope beamed with pride. "You ain't seen nothing yet," she said, then took Llia by the hand. "Come on, let's go." Just then, she felt a pair of strong hands grab her from behind.  
  
"Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" Jacen asked as he helped seat Jaina in the pilot's chair, which was obviously too big for the young eight year old girl.   
"Trust me," Jaina said as she reached to grasp the controls. "I'm an expert when it comes to flying pieces of junk. Just ask Dad." The two kids had snuck on board an old Alderaanian freighter, which bore a certain resemblance to the _Millennium Falcon_. It was shaped like a saucer, with two wings protruding from both sides, and mounted with powerful blaster cannons. The hull had been painted with a blackish-silver hue, giving it a very shiny appearance, almost looking brand-new. No one had seen them board the ship. And with the stampede of ships leaving Coruscant, no one would notice them leave.  
"Okay, let's see," Jaina said as she pulled back a red lever. "I think this is what starts the engine." Seconds later, the ship hummed to life.   
Jacen could feel a slight vibration running through the floor under his feet as the sublight engines roared. He quickly strapped himself in the copilot's chair and gave his sister a grin. "Hey, Jaina," he said. "What do you call a crystal snake with a sense of humor?" Jaina rolled her eyes.   
"Jacen, can we please just go through one day without having to hear one of your lame jokes?"   
"Come on, just guess!" Jacen pleaded, his grin growing ever so wider.   
Jaina heaved a huge, exasperated sigh before saying, "Gee, Jacen, I don't know. What do you call a crystal snake with a sense of humor?"   
"Hiss-terical! Get it?" Jacen erupted in a series of unintelligible guffaws and snorts. Jaina shook her head. "There is no hope for you, is there?"   
"Oh, come on. You have to admit, that was pretty funny."   
"Jacen, if you tell another joke while we're on this mission, I'm afraid I'll have to hurt you," Jaina warned as the Alderaanian ship lifted off the landing pad and headed through the docking bay entrance. Jacen sighed. "One of these days, Jaina, I'm gonna tell you a joke that you will find funny."  
"Ha! Wyrwulfs will fly first," Jaina said as the freighter soared through the metropolis. "You ready?"   
Jacen nodded. "Let's kick some butt!" "Then what are we waiting for?" Jaina said as she took the controls. "Hope, Annie...here we come!"  
  
"Mistress Jaina! Master Jacen!" Threepio said as he headed for their hospital room. "It is urgent that we leave as soon as possible! The doctor will be here with your hover-chair in a few minutes, Mistress Jaina, and then we can head for your apartment to pack your things--"   
As he entered the room, he stopped when he realized that no one was there. Jaina's bed was vacant, the white sheets sprawled on the clean, sterile floor. Jacen was also gone. "Um...Master Jacen?" Threepio weakly called out, immediately fearing the worst. "Mistress Jaina?" There was no answer. "Oh, no," the protocol droid groaned as he left to find Doctor Poshkal. "Not again."  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be all right?" Luke asked Leia as he prepared to board the Millennium Falcon with Leanna Kai. The two stood in the cavernous docking bay of the Imperial Palace, where people were still getting on board transports to leave Coruscant. Already, three-hundred million people had left for the outer edges of the system. Within a few more hours, Coruscant would be a ghost planet. Brother and sister stood side by side for a moment. Both would soon be going their separate ways; Luke to Yavin 4, and Leia and Han to the Verpine System. It was time to say goodbye. Leia nodded, trying to mask her feelings. Luke knew that his sister was feeling the burden of a thousand bricks weighing upon her shoulders, and he admired her strength to hide it.   
"I'll be fine, Luke. I just...I hope we find our children in time, before..." She choked on her own words before she could finish her sentence. Luke reached out and gave Leia a hug. He, too, had been through so much in the past week. His daughter was missing, his wife had disappeared as well-- and was extremely vulnerable to the dark side now. He had never felt so helpless before, at least not since he had stood over his father's dying body on board the Death Star. He had been unable to do anything at that time. Would history repeat itself again?   
"I'm more worried about you," Leia said, breaking into Luke's thoughts. "And Callista. Luke, I'm scared of what's become of her. Could she have really fallen to the dark side?"   
Luke didn't know how to answer that. He had been down that path before, as had many of his friends and family. His father, Brakiss, Kyp Durron, Kam Solusar...the list was endless. "I honestly don't know, Leia," he said, straining to keep from crying. "But if she has, then I swear by the Force that I will do everything in my power to bring her back. And my daughter too." He sighed as he looked away from her. "I've just...I have never felt so alone before."   
He felt Leia's hands lay upon his shoulders, and when he turned to face her, she smiled. "You're not alone, brother," she said. As she spoke those words, Luke felt a gentle hand life some of the burden off his shoulders.   
Leia was right; he wasn't alone. He still had her, and Han, and the rest of the New Republic on his side. "Thank you," he whispered. "Good luck to you, Leia."  
"And to you," Leia replied. "May the Force be with you."  
  
The journey to Yavin 4 was a strangely quiet one. Luke guided the _Millennium Falcon_ through hyperspace, with Leanna Kai sitting beside him in the copilot's seat. The white-skinned woman was not much of a conversationalist, for she kept to herself and rarely spoke to the Jedi Master. Luke wondered who exactly this woman was, and what her past with Boba Fett was about. He considered probing her mind, but he knew better than to tamper with someone like that. "So..." Luke said in a vain attempt to start a conversation. "Do you have any friends or family, Leanna?"   
Much to his surprise, Leanna glared daggers at him, as if he had just challenged her to a fight. "I have no family," she said in a very venomous voice. Chagrined, Luke focused on the viewscreen. Obviously, he had struck a nerve by saying that, and he began to wonder if Leanna's family had anything to do with her hatred toward Boba Fett. He tried not to think about it.   
"Are you Jedi really as tough as people say you are?" Leanna suddenly asked, cold and business-like.  
Luke was surprised by the unexpected query. He regained his composure seconds later and replied, "It depends, Leanna. Some people are born with great potential. Others are not so lucky, and have only the faintest connections with the Force." He briefly thought of Tionne as he said that. The silver-haired historian, though brilliant in Jedi lore, was one of the weaker students he had in terms of Force potential.   
"So the Force is the only thing that makes you able to fight," Leanna observed. "Take that away, and you're nothing."   
Luke shook his head. "Not necessarily. Most of my students are also being taught the importances of hand-to-hand combat, which helps just as much as the Force when it comes to fighting." His voice dropped as he added, "In some instances, it helpes even better."   
"How are you born with the Force?" the woman asked. "I mean, how come some people have it and some don't? What creates the Force?"   
Luke shrugged and answered honestly. "If you want the actual truth, I don't know. In all my years as a Jedi, I never quite learned the true origins of the Force. The Jedi of the Old Republic may have known it, but any data concerning it was destroyed by the Emperor during the rise of the New Order..."  
Leanna nodded. "Interesting," she said.   
The two remained silent for the rest of the journey, until they reached Yavin 4. The jungle moon was almost eclipsed by the orange gas ball that was Yavin, meaning that it was nightfall. The _Falcon_ dropped out of hyperspace and sailed for Yavin 4.   
Luke send out a transmission toward the Jedi Academy, and waited until Tionne's beautifully exotic face appeared on the screen. "Master Skywalker," she said in a relieved tone. "Thank the Force you're all right. We heard about what's happening on Coruscant--"   
"And that's exactly why I've come here," Luke said. "Wake Kyp and the others. We're going to do some hunting."  
  
Hope shrieked as the strong hands snatched her roughly by the shoulders and spun her around. Her vision became blurred as the world spun around her, and when she came to, she stared right into the face of Xizor. "Where do you think you're going, Hope?" the evil man sneered. "Have you not enjoyed my hospitality?"   
"Let me go!" Hope shouted as she tried to run away. The docking bay door was only a few feet away from her; she was so close to freedom, and now this had happened. "Let go of me, you big, green--"   
"Enough!" rang a voice from behind. Hope craned her head behind her shoulder to see a tall woman emerge from the docking bay entrance, draped in her black robes, looking far scarier than anything Hope had ever seen before. Was this what it had been like for Daddy when he had to face Vader?  
"Well, well, well," the woman said, an unpleasant smile stretching across her white-skinned face. "If it isn't the daughter of Skywalker. I've been looking for you for a long time."  
"What do you want with me?" Hope demanded, trying to sound tough, but with Xizor grabbing her by the arms, and more cloaked warriors surrounding her, she certainly didn't feel tough.   
"My name is Armenia, of the Kerash Order," the scary woman said menacingly. "And you're coming with us to Anasazi."  
"No!" Hope screamed and struggled with all her might, but the man holding her was strong, and wouldn't let go of her anytime soon. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"   
"Oh, but you are," someone else said, and Hope turned in horror to see Llia standing before her, her smile mirroring Armenia's. "What--?"   
Hope felt as if a great anvil had fallen upon her, robbing her of the last shred of resistance she had. She looked into Llia's eyes, realization quickly sinking in. "You...lied to me? Why?"   
"It sure took you long enough to figure it out," the older girl said with a chuckle. "I can't believe you actually bought my story about me trying to help you out." She scoffed as she smiled up at Armenia. "Jedi will believe anything, won't they?"  
Hope suddenly felt very tired, the energy drained from her body. She didn't even bother fighting as Xizor, still holding her by the arms, led her into the hangar bay, toward the one ship left. The ship Llia had said would be leaving the planet._ She betrayed me...  
_ The words echoed in Hope's ears, but she still couldn't bring herself to believe it. She thought she could trust Llia, had thought they would escape this horrid place together. For a brief moment, she had thought she had found someone who could understand her predicament. And now she knew the truth.   
Armenia headed over to the ship--Hope saw that the word_s Fallen Moon _were stenciled in the hull--and opened the ramp leading inside. Xizor and Hope were the first ones on board, followed by Armenia, and then the remaining Kerash warriors, at least two dozen of them in all.   
"What are you gonna do to me?" Hope finally asked, her voice a frightened squeak.   
"You'll find out when we reach Anasazi," Armenia said as she led Hope to the rear of the ship. "But for now, I don't want to spoil the surprise."   
The little girl was brought into a small, cramped room at the back of the_ Fallen Moon_, a place where prisoners were probably kept--which was exactly what Hope was at that moment. As Xizor brutally shoved her inside, she looked up and saw Anakin lying on one of the cots, a faraway look in his eyes.   
"Anakin!" she shouted, running over to the older boy. Life suddenly flashed into Anakin's eyes at the sound of her voice, and he looked up, relief flooding upon his face.   
"Hope?" he weakly said. Just when she was arm's length from him, Armenia grabbed her and pulled her away.   
"I don't think so," she said. "You two aren't going anywhere near each other until we've reached out destination."   
"You leave us alone, you bi--" The woman backhanded Hope so hard that she was thrown against the wall.  
"Mind your tongue, you little brat. It'd do you well to respect your superiors." Her eyes slowly trailed over to Anakin, who shrank back in fear. "It would be terrible if I would be forced to use your friend as an example."   
Hope's entire face burned from the slap, and she almost started to cry. But not here, not in front of these terrible people. She would not give Armenia the satisfaction. She looked over at her cousin and sent a brief thought to him, letting him know that she wouldn't let anything happen to him.   
"I'll be good," she finally said as she looked back at the cloaked woman. Armenia nodded and left the room, while Xizor stayed behind to watch over them. The man who had betrayed her most of all. Hope silently vowed that when she had the chance, she would make all of these evil people pay.  
  
Callista sat alone in the cockpit, watching the ever-expanding starlines as the Shapeshifter coursed through hyperspace. The journey to Anasazi was not even halfway finished, not even close. It would take at least another day or two before they arrived in the Unknown Regions. Callista still wondered how she knew the location of this strange planet. Perhaps it was Kara's doing, and she was guiding her through the darkness of space...   
Callista grimaced as she thought of her firstborn daughter. And of the last three years. She remembered the morning she realized she had regained her Force powers, and accidentally destroyed one of Luke's vases. She remembered laying eyes upon Kara for the first time in decades as she entered the ancient Kerash temple. She remembered seeing Kyp's lightsaber cutting through Kara's flesh, remembered hearing her daughter's anguished scream as she felt to the floor in a dying heap. She remembered her dream on Dathomir, her struggle with Kara on the mountain cliff. _She is coming...  
_Everything that had happened in the past three years was slowly but steadily building up to something, something that no one in the universe would see until it was too late. And Callista had never realized it before. Kara's words resonated in her mind, reminding her of how she got her powers back, and of the consequences that would arise if she should defeat her daughter. If Callista won, she would lose her powers once again. Was it a price worth paying? In the long run, yes. Callista knew that she was afraid to lose her powers, to lose her connection to the Force, to never share that special connection with Luke ever again. She also knew that she was being selfish.   
The lives of billions upon billions of people hung in the balance should the Kerash succeed. Surely losing her powers was nothing compared to losing the lives of all those people. Callista sighed as she relaxed in her seat. It would be a few more days before she reached Anasazi. She decided to stop thinking about it so much until she found Hope and Kara.   
She felt a faint stirring deep within her belly, a soft, almost gentle tickle. The infant was in its earliest stages, meaning that it was only a few weeks--perhaps even days--old. When Callista had been pregnant with Hope, she had been so happy. And now...all she felt was a deep fear for her newborn, as well as fear for her other daughter, Hope. And then she thought of the family she had left behind on Coruscant. What was she going to tell Luke?   
"Callista?"   
Callista felt the droid's presence long before she heard her speak. She turned to see Cray standing behind her, her wounds now bandaged up, and managed a smile. "What is it, Cray?"   
"I just wanted to talk with you," the droid said, her features softening.   
Callista nodded, and watched as Cray sat behind her in the copilot's seat. She could feel that Cray was being sincere, and sensed far less hosility emanating from her than before. Perhaps things were looking up after all. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked.   
The droid sighed before answering. "I'm just so confused," she said. Callista chuckled. "Join the club," she said. She heard the droid sigh behind her.   
"I feel so lost," she said. "All this time, I thought I was human. And now...I see that it was all just a lie." She hesitated and took a deep breath before continuing. "Callista?"   
"Yes?"  
"How did the real Cray die?" Callista straightened up at the question. Even to this day, she could still remember everything that had happened on the _Eye of Palpatine_ as if it had occurred yesterday. She should have known that the droid would ask this sooner or later.   
As she clutched the controls to keep her hands from shaking, she said, "I had been trapped in the the _Eye_'s computer for decades. When Luke, Cray, and Nichos arrived, I was on the brink of completely losing my memory. But the arrival of Luke reawakened my connections with the Force. I fell in love with him, and he fell in love with me.   
"Luke and his friends had come to destroy the _Eye of Palpatine_ once and for all. I had managed to disable it for a long time, but it wouldn't last for long. It would only be a matter of time before it would reawaken and continue its mission to eliminate the Jedi. So I communicated with Luke through the _Eye_'s computer system, and we teamed up to destroy the battle station."   
She paused a moment to catch her breath, seeing the events transpire before her eyes as she described them.   
"And...you succeeded," Cray asked.   
Callista nodded. "Nichos, who was a droid, much like you are now, volunteered to detonate the ship. Cray was his fiancee, and she couldn't bear to leave him behind. I knew that staying behind would mean death for both of them. So...I switched bodies with Cray.   
"We managed to complete the transfer before the destruction of the _Eye._ I managed to reach safety on board the Hunter's Luck, but Cray and Nichos both perished. They died side by side, as they had lived."   
Cray remained silent for a long time. "And...that's why you look so much like her," she said. "Same nose, same chin..."   
"But different hair and eye color," Callista pointed out. The droid sighed.   
"So, that's how it happened."   
"Yes. Cray died a true hero. She gave up her life for the greater good, so that she could be with the man she loved the most...and so that I could be with the man I loved the most." She smiled as she remembered the shock and joy on Luke's face as he realized that she had survived the explosion...which was soon tainted by the memories of how she had been treating him ever since the disappearance of their daughter.   
"And you can be a hero, too, Cray, if you help me defeat these Kerash."   
"They lied to me," Cray said in a cold, bitter tone. "I trusted them with my life, and they lied to me. They implanted these fake memories into my mind. They still feel real to me, even after what you've told me. And it's horrible." She hung her head, the faintest glimmer of tears shining in her eyes. "They are going to pay for this."  
"If you help me, Cray, we can defeat them together," Callista said. "Can you tell me everything you know about Arak?"   
The droid sighed for perhaps the hundredth time today and straightened up in her seat. "I only know a few things about this ritual," she said. "Most of it is kept secret amongst the Kerash priests. They call it the Ritual of the Coming, for obvious reasons."  
"What does this ritual involve?" Callista asked.   
"It involves the drawing of blood from two beings who share a powerful connection, one so great that it cannot be broken, even by death," Cray continued. "Once their blood is spilled, a third vessel opens a gateway leading into another dimension...the dimension where the goddess Arak supposedly resides. Once the portal is opened, she will enter our universe."   
Callista listened to the details with dread. "What's the third vessel?" she asked.   
"A child," she answered. "A child whose only purpose in life is to bring about the arrival of Arak. He or she is chosen from one of the Anasazi villages and brought to the Temple of Arak, where the priests 'purify' them."   
"Purify? As in--?"   
"Soaking the child in a pool of blood from previous sacrifices," Cray said. "Beatings, whippings, tortures. The priests believe that these will cleanse the child of the goodness inside him or her. If a trace of goodness is left, the ritual will not work. This lasts for years until the child has reached adolescence."   
Callista was horrified by this new revelation. To hear of a child going through such treachery and pain--it made her hate the Kerash even more. "And then what?" she asked, her voice slightly above a whisper.   
"I don't know," the droid shrugged. "They then perform the ritual, and if everything has been done right, Arak comes into the world."   
"And what happens then?" Callista asked, already fearing the answer.   
"And then everyone will die."  
  
Deep in the Unknown Regions, on the distant jungle world of Anasazi, the High Priest, a torch in hand, strolled down the poorly lit corridor leading into the small chamber room of the Third Vessel. He was dressed in his finest ceremonial robes--reds, blues, and purples--and was almost ready for the Coming. He had been preparing for this event for all his life.   
He and his fellow priests had kept this child in the bowels of the temple since his birth, had worked hard to purify him of his light. It had been a long and strenuous task, but in the end, victory had at last been achieved. All they needed now were the First and Second Vessel. Which Armenia hopefully had found by now, and would return to Anasazi as soon as possible.   
By the time of the next eclipse, the goddess Arak would be reborn.   
The High Priest reached the room and opened the door. He stepped inside and found himself in a small chamber lit by several torches mounted on pedestals. Bright orange-red flames flickered from the torches, illuminating the priest's pale skin. And there, laying almost lifelessly on a small bed in the center of the room, was the Third Vessel. He was a boy, around the age of thirteen or fourteen. He had been chosen from his village because he was the strongest baby, the most likely to survive the purification that would last throughout his childhood.   
And indeed he had--just barely.   
His face was horribly scarred from the endless beatings he had received, the bones in his arms and legs had been broken several times over and healed, to the point where he looked like a crippled old man. And still he had survived. The High Priest stood over the young boy--his name was Kinshur, he believed- -and nodded.  
"Congratulations, my boy," he said. "At last, you are ready for the Ritual of the Coming."   
Despite his scars, Kinshur smiled. "For Arak, my Lord," he whispered.   
The High Priest laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "For Arak," he   
repeated.  
  
Isolder had not felt this nervous since his wedding. With his wife, Queen Mother Teneniel Djo, on Dathomir at the moment with their daughter, Tenel Ka, he was left alone to address the Council, which consisted of women who shared a mutual dislike for men. Since before the Clone Wars, Hapes had been a strongly feminist system. Men were held in low regards and had little power in the monarchy. Isolder himself was King of the sixy-three worlds in the cluster, but should anything happen to his wife, the throne would go to his daughter rather than to him...simply because he was a man.   
And now, here he was, having to face the Hapan Council, hoping that they would provide him with the firepower he needed in order to help the New Republic when it needed help the most. "Thank you, for having the time to hear me out," he said, trying his best to hide his anxiety, and only half-succeeding.   
The leader of the Hapan Council, Grenalda, stood from her chair and nodded in acknowledgement. "King Isolder, the Council is well aware of what is happening on Coruscant. You wish for us to grant you permission to personally lead the entire Hapan fleet in the fight against Xizor and Black Sun." Her voice matched her appearance: old, harsh, dangerous, manipulative, and ill-tempered, which constituted ninety percent of the women in the Hapan government--including Isolder's own mother, former Queen Ta'a Chume.   
"You realize, Isolder," the Council leader continued, "that sending out our fleet will mean heavy losses on both sides. Should we lose, the Hapes Cluster is left vulnerable to outside attacks."   
"Maybe," Isolder said, "but our Hapan Battle Dragons are among the most powerful warships the galaxy has ever seen. Surely, they are more than a match for anything this Xizor has." He briefly recalled the great battle fought between the Hapans and Imperial warlord Zsinj in the Quelii Sector all those years ago.   
Shiropo Kadri, one of the more softer-spoken members of the Council, and one of the oldest, stood up as well and nodded in Isolder's direction. "I cannot see why we could not sent our fleet to the Republic's aid, Grenalda," she said.   
"I assure you that we can defeat Black Sun," Isolder said. "We've taken on the Empire before. I'm sure that this new Black Sun would not pose much of a threat to our mighty battleships. And as king of the Hapes Cluster, I swear that I will not fail you, or the rest of the people."   
"You'd better be right about that," the Council leader said.   
"Then it's settled, then," Isolder said, then offered a small bow in respect to the Hapan Royal Council. "I promise to return with as minimal losses as possible. Thank you."   
Grenalda nodded and waved dismissively in Isolder's direction, as if warding off an annoying fly. Isolder took the hint and strode out of the Council room. The most difficult step had been accomplished. Now it was time for him to fight.  
  
Llia watched, her emerald eyes soft as Hope disappeared into the ship. The young child's words echoing in her mind.   
_You ... lied to me? Why?  
_ Desperately, she shook her head to clear her mind of the incident, but the disbelief and pain that came with those words kept it's firm grip on her mind. She began to walk towards the ship, her eyes downcast in thought.   
_You shouldn't have trusted me, munchkin, you just shouldn't have. _Closing her eyes, she sighed, the evil smile on her face long gone. Again the child's plea whispered across her mind. Miserably, Llia thought, _It's not like I don't know how she feels, I do, in a way. After all I was in a similar situation. Armenia thinks I've forgotten that._..   
Making a rather unlady like snort she continued. But one does not forget losing your family easily. Sliding her pale hand into her pocket, she slowly drew out a smooth silver braclet. Looking at it, a small flame of anger welled up behind the wall of sadness in her heart. _I wonder if you really are looking for me. You promised you would. Armenia told me it was you who hired the bounty hunter to capture me because you wanted me gone. But is even that true?   
_Slipping the bracelet back into her pocket she thought, _I always doubted that. After all, Armenia never knew of nor did she understood how deep the bond between Lea and I was. But why would my cousin lie to me?   
_Llia's eyes visibly hardened. _Then again, there are plenty of reasons why she would want to get back at my sister. After all, Armenia is still angry over all the times she lost to her when they were younger. It didn't help at all that Lea was younger then Armenia by a few years and still managed to always defeat her in hand to hand combat. Well, according to my brother at least. He also said Armenia disappeared acouple years before I was born. Which makes me wonder. I'm not as naive as Armenia thinks I am. Not by a long shot._   
Looking straight ahead, Llia squared her shoulders, pushed her waist-length black hair behind her ears, mindful of the silver strip that ran along it's length near her right temple. She straighten her cloak, and strolled into the ship.   
As soon as she had entered, her sharp hearing picked up a slap and a thunk in that back of the _Fallen Moon._ Pursing her lips together, her emerald eyes burned like embers in her anger. She strolled to her seat and leaned against the armrest as she thought furiously at the room in the back of the ship, _Leave them alone, Armenia! They are just kids._ Crossing her arms she leaned back, and had closed her eyes to calm herself when suddenly she heard Hope's pain filled voice enter head. _'You ... lied to me? Why?'_ Mentally she growled, _ENOUGH! I get the hint, you stupid conscience of mine!  
_ Letting out a deep breath, her thoughts continued. _Ok, if I'm going to help her ... correction, them, I going have tread very carefully. After all, Armenia can defeat me in a second at hand to hand combat, she's proven that enough times when she forced me to duel with her. I still have a feeling she did that to simply nail that fact into my head that she could beat a Kai. Might as well get this started.  
_ Standing up, she walked towards the back of the ship. Unfortunately, she bumped into Armenia. "What do you think you are doing?" Armenia demanded angrily, glaring coldly at Llia.   
Glaring back just as coldly with what truly looked like an evil gleam in her eyes, she said with a touch of disgust, "To watch the brats." Thinking fast she added, " Or would you rather allow them to come up with some foolish plan of escape?  
"They won't escape no matter what they try." Armenia scoffed. _Famous last words_, Llia thought before continuing out loud, "Yet that is what all the enemies of the Solo's and Skywalker's thought, and yet every time they managed to escape." Allowing that statement to linger, Llia bowed and continued, "But you would know what best of course. I'll shall return to my seat."  
Llia started back when Armenia's voice stopped her. "Very well, watch the children. I might as well have you where you can be useful." After Armenia disappeared back to the cockpit, Llia eyes sparkled as she thought, _Lucky I'm so use to acting like a brown-noser to Armenia that it's become second nature to me._   
Slowly she walked into the sleeping quarters, more like prisoner cell, where the children were being held captive. Hope felt the floor beneath her shudder as the _Fallen Moon _left the docking bay and headed off into space. It was like a minor earthquake--slightly trembling, soft enough that one could hardly feel it--and was nothing compared to the trembling Hope could feel in her body. An abrupt jolt shook throughout the ship as it entered hyperspace.  
  
For a long time, no one in the room spoke. Hope tried as hard as she could to not look into Xizor's eyes, and instead focused on her cousin. Anakin was laying flat on his stomach on his cot, the terror visible on his face. The two children locked eyes with each other for a brief second, sharing their fears with each other.   
_Don't worry_, Hope heard as Anakin's voice whispered softly through the Force. _We'll be okay_. Despite what she was feeling, Hope managed a smile of encouragement and nodded.   
"How sweet," Xizor said from the doorway of the cell, and Hope cringed with disgust at the sound of the Falleen's voice. "Cousin and cousin, together once more. Pardon me while I wipe the tears from my eyes."   
"Stay away from us," Hope said through clenched teeth.   
"Now, now, Hope, no need for threats," Xizor said as he inched closer to the little girl. "I know that you must be terribly upset with me right now, but I assure you that this wasn't easy for me. Since our time together, I have grown...quite attached to you. The thought of giving you away to these people saddens me to no end."  
Hope knew fully well that this evil man was lying, and had been ever since she had first met him. She finally risked a glance toward Xizor and gave him her best glare. "You're never gonna get away with this, Xizor," she said. "My Mommy and Daddy will find us sooner or later. They're gonna rescue us, and make you pay big time for what you've done."   
Rather than look concerned--as Hope had been aiming for--Xizor chose to chuckle. "My dear, sweet Hope," he said as he towered over her. Slowly, he petted the crown of her head with once scaly, clawed hand. It felt warm and gross on Hope's head. "Such rage in you. You have a tenacious passion in you that I find very familiar. Your grandfather, Vader, had that within him."   
"What do you know about my grandfather?" Hope demanded. Daddy had told her so many frightening stories about Darth Vader, about all the evils he had committed, and how he eventually saved himself from the dark side.   
"I knew him very well," Xizor replied in that calm, self-assured voice that sickened Hope to no end. "He was one of the most powerful men I had ever met in my life. And I see the same power in your eyes...a burning rage just waiting to get out."   
Hope drew away from the Dark Price, scowling at him. "Why did you come here with those people?" she asked. "Don't you have an empire to run on Coruscant?"   
Xizor nodded. "Indeed, you are correct. But my most trusted advisors are handling that while I am gone."   
"So, why are you here?" Hope repeated. "Your mother," Xizor said, a dark gleam in his orange reptilian eyes. "I have seen her, and have become starstruck by her beauty. She has the same fire and spirit you possess, my child, which I have rarely seen in any women in my life. It glows brighter than all the stars in the universe. She is almost perfect...and I want her. I want her so much that I can taste it with my tongue. And I hear that she is heading for Anasazi as well. So I intend to find her there and ask her to become my queen."   
Hope was off the bed faster than the blink of an eye. She ran to the opposite end of the wall, determined to get as far away from this horrid person as possible. She pressed her back against the cold, dull wall, a frightening grimace on her face.   
"You're disgusting!" she shouted, so loud that the echo reverberated in her eardrums. "My Mommy will never marry you!"   
"I highly doubt that," Xizor said, unperturbed by her outburst. "I can force her to marry me, against her will if I have to. It is a gift I have, much like this mysterious Force you Jedi possess." The Dark Price glided--almost floated, with his purple robes rippling around him like waves, concealing his feet--over to her, his shadow completely dwarfing the angered child. "I would be honored to have you as my daughter."   
Hope spat on Xizor's robe, the fury now tangible. She couldn't believe it, but this man made her more and more angry every time he opened his mouth. "I only have one Daddy," she said. "And _you're_ not him! You'll never be my father! Ever."   
"We shall see," Xizor said in a low, ominous voice.   
"Xizor." Both Xizor and Hope turned to see Llia enter the small cell, her hands on her hips. "Armenia wishes to see you. I'll watch the little brats while you're gone."   
Xizor nodded, flashed one more glare down at Hope, and quietly left the room. Leaving Hope and Anakin alone with Llia.  
  
The Verpine System was mostly a collection of asteroid belts merged into one gigantic wave of shattered planetoids. The Verpines called it "Gringahgfln", which loosely translated into "The Belt of God". According to Admiral Ackbar, it was next to impossible to navigate through the asteroids without getting hit. Leia, Han, and Ackbar had arrived in the Verpine System on board the Mon Calamari cruiser, the _Galactic Voyager._ It was Ackbar's personal favorite ship, for he had commanded it several times already in battle--namely in the fierce battle with Admiral Daala when she attacked the Jedi Academy, and when they had to save Anakin from Furgan on Anoth.   
This time, though, there would be no battle. Just talking--which, from a certain point of view, was, in fact, a battle.   
Leia paced nervously on the bridge deck of the starship, unintentionally wringing her hands together. She felt uneasy about having to speak with both the Verpines and the Barabels, who were even at this moment busy ripping each other to shreds. Their war had lasted for more than two decades, and they most likely didn't even know why they were fighting. And now it had to stop once for all. As Leia walked, Han went over to her and clasped her hands into his. "You're shaking," he said. "Are you all right?"   
Leia nodded. "I'll be fine as soon as we're finished with this." She looked over at the viewscreen, which displayed the ocean of asteroids that bordered the Verpine System. "Han, I can't believe how scared I am. I mean, I was able to convince the Senate to evacuate Coruscant without breaking a sweat, but here--"   
She couldn't finish her sentence. Han smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Hey, don't sweat it. All you have to do is get both sides together, and before you know it, we'll all be one big happy family."   
"And maybe the Barabels will stop making a feast out of Verpine body parts," Leia added, and they both laughed.   
"Madame President," one of the officers said from below the platform they were standing on. "A pair of B-wings have entered our vicinity."   
Leia nodded. The B-wing fighters were the Verpines's favorite weapons in battle. "They've detected us," she said.   
"They're hailing," the officer continued. Barely a second had passed after he spoken before a Verpine's voice poured from the speakers. It was barely decipherable, and very insect-like.   
"New Republic ship, identify yourself and your purpose for intruding our system."   
"This is President Organa Solo, Chief of State of the New Republic," Leia replied, knowing that the Verpine pilot would pick her voice up. "Our intentions are not hostile. As you probably know, the Republic is in an uproar with the return of Black Sun. We wish to speak with the Hive Queen as soon as possible."   
The pilot didn't respond immediately, most likely transmitting the information back to the Hive Queen herself with use of his antennae. Almost five minutes passed before he responded, "The Hive Queen has heard of the evacuation of Coruscant, and, with our war with the Barabels growing more heated, is concerned that the events transpiring there will affect our own world. You are allowed to pass. Follow our path, so you will avoid being crushed by the asteroids."   
As the B-wings took off, with the Galactic Voyager not far behind, Leia felt the burden she had been carrying lifted from her shoulders. Hopefully, the rest would go just as well.


	8. Betrayed

Chapter 8  
  
The _Millennium Falcon_ was packed to the fullest, with over a dozen Jedi Knights sitting in the rear compartment. It must have been uncomfortable for them all to be scrunched up in one room, and for the first time since he had left Coruscant, Luke wished they had brought a larger ship. He had picked the best Jedi students for this mission--which was what they needed, considering that they were going up against an extremely deadly opponent.   
Kyp Durron, arguably his most powerful student. He had been one of the few Jedi who had fallen to the dark side and came back. His past was dark with tragedy--most importantly, the death of his brother and parents at the hands of the Empire--but he had always stayed strong, and was the closest to becoming a Jedi Master.   
Kirana Ti, a warrior woman from Dathomir. Strong, tall, and well-built, she was quite a formidable opponent, even without the Force. Kirana Ti had been instrumental in helping Luke and Callista defeat the newest batch of Nightsisters three years ago, when Hope had been born. Kam Solusar, yet another Jedi who had once been a slave to the dark side. He was a bitter and angry man, still consumed by his past, but as time went on, he became more attached to the other students on Yavin 4. His heart was still heavy from the crimes he had committed as a Dark Jedi, but slowly and steadily, his inner wounds were healing.   
Dorsk 81, a green-skinned clone from the peaceful world of Khomm. When Dorsk 81 had first arrived at the Jedi Academy, he had been a shy, timid young man who kept mostly to himself. After helping defeat Exar Kun, though, the clone became more confident in himself and his abilities in the Force.   
Tionne, a brilliant musician and historian. In terms of the Force, Tionne had the weakest connection of Luke's original students, but her knowledge in ancient Jedi history more than made up for that. She also had a gorgeous singing voice, and often sang for the students, retelling the heroic adventures of famous Jedi Masters like Djinn Altis, Nomi Sunrider, and Yoda.   
Cilghal, the Jedi healer of the group. Originally an ambassador from Calamari, Cilghal had joined the Academy at the recommendation of Leia shortly after Admiral Daala's attack on the peaceful ocean world. She had a remarkable gift for healing, and helped save Mon Mothma from a wasting disease. Now, she was teaching others how to use their powers for healing.   
Streen, an old hermit from Bespin. He was the quietest in the group, and often went out in the jungle to meditate in solitude. The old man had a knack for predicting and manipulating the weather, which helped the Jedi considerably in times past. Although Streen was still uneasy being around people, he remained close friends with the original students, particularly Kirana Ti.   
It was these Jedi, and more, who would help Luke and Leanna Kai in their latest mission--to stop the rise of the new Black Sun, and save Luke's daughter and nephew.   
"How soon will we be there?" Luke asked Leanna Kai, who remained still in the copilot's seat. It was she who had provided the coordinates for Garkonis. Despite his attempts at conversation, the mysterious woman remained unnervingly silent during most of the flight.   
"Almost two hours," Leanna replied in a cold, deadpan voice. "Garkonis is located on the farthest side of the Bright Jewel. Hopefully, Boba Fett is there, and won't be leaving any time soon."   
"I hope so, too," Luke said in a soft, barely heard whisper. He looked over at Leanna and felt an inner storm of emotions raging in her mind. Apparently, she was both anticipating and dreading meeting the famous masked bounty hunter once again. For perhaps the hundredth time today, Luke wondered what Boba Fett had done to this woman.  
  
A good distance away from the _Millennium Falcon,_ a smaller ship trailed after it. Boba Fett watched, face unreadable behind the Mandalorian mask, as the YT- 1300 freighter headed for the Bright Jewel System. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Leanna Kai," he said.  
  
Callista and Cray could do nothing more than watch as the _Shapeshifter_ was slowly drawn toward the cavernous hangar bay of the _Fallen Moon_, held by the enormous ship's tractor beam. As the seconds melted slowly away, Callista could barely make out the small shapes of black-cloaked warriors standing near the entrance, awaiting its newest catch. Kerash.   
"That's my ship," Cray said, her eyes dark with fury. "The people who did this to me are inside that ship." Her hands gripped the armrests of her chair so hard that the nails almost sliced clean through them, as if they were melted butter. "When I find Armenia, I swear I will--"   
"Calm down," Callista said, laying a hand on the droid's arm. She could feel Cray's muscles ripple with tension under her fingers, muscles strong enough to rip the hide off a bantha. "You may be strong, but you're also outnumbered. We won't be doing anyone any good if we end up martyrs."   
"They'll kill us, no matter what," Cray pointed out. Callista nodded, barely able to swallow a large lump in her throat. She was not prepared to face the Kerash again. Not at all.   
"You're right," she said. "But we have to cooperate with them. It's the best way to survive so we can defeat them." Her eyes turned to Cray, pleading. "Promise me you won't try anything rash." Cray bit her lips hard, as if considering her options. After a moment, she finally acquiesced.   
"Very well," she said. "Breaking necks will come later, I suppose." She barely had time to utter those words before the _Shapeshifter_ was completely engulfed by the _Fallen Moon_. The Kerash warriors quickly surrounded the ship as it touched the metallic deck, their staffs drawn out. Their faces were hidden from their black hoods.  
Callista sighed--trying with only a little success to release the growing fear she felt--and turned to Cray. "Here goes nothing," she said, as she shut off the Shapeshifter's engines. The two women unbuckled their crash webbing and walked out of the cockpit, unarmed, ready to face whatever fate the Kerash warriors had in store for them. Callista knew that she could fight them--with her Force abilities and Cray's strength, they would make a formidable team--but it would accomplish nothing, other than getting the two of them killed.   
How she wished Luke was here.   
Callista opened the _Shapeshifter_'s ramp, and the two stepped outside, where the cold, sterile air of the _Fallen Moon_ hit them full-force, sending small prickles of goosebumps down her skin. They stood side by side, unflinching, as the circle of Kerash warriors closed in on them. One of them stepped forth, pulling back her black hood, and revealing Armenia.   
The woman Callista had fought deep within the bowels of the Underworld.   
The woman who had been responsible for the attack on her family.   
The woman who had taken her daughter.   
Callista felt a fresh storm of anger as she met Armenia's eyes, but she managed to quell it down--just barely. _Calm,_ she said to herself. _I need to remain calm_.   
"Hello, Skywalker," Armenia said in a cool, emotionless voice. "I have been waiting for you."   
"Well, did you honestly think I'd sit around while you had my daughter and nephew and planned to destroy the universe?" Callista replied, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "Speaking of which, where's Hope and Anakin?"   
"They're here, and unharmed...for now at least," the woman said. "Of course, that could change at any moment. Now that you're our prisoner, I will expect your complete cooperation." Armenia's eyes then shifted over to Cray, as if she had just noticed her for the first time. Her emerald irises slightly widened in surprise. "Cray?" she said.   
The droid nodded, not at all impressed. Hello, Armenia," she said. "I see that even after all I've done for you, you still didn't even bother to rescue me after I was captured."   
"Well, I...I thought you were dead," Armenia stammered, showing true, genuine fear for the first time since Callista had encountered her on Coruscant. "We all did. We had no choice but to--"   
"I was your leader!" Cray snapped, with enough force to sent a shudder down Callista's bones. "And you betrayed me!"   
Before Callista knew it, the droid was moving forward, her fist striking out in a backhand across Armenia's face that snapped her head to the right, nearly knocking the Kerash warrior off her feet.   
"Cray, no!" she shouted, but it was too late. The other Kerash warriors got their weapons ready, prepared to defend themselves, but Armenia held one hand up.   
"No!" she demanded. "This is between Cray and me." Wiping a thin stream of blood from her lower lip, she managed a crooked smile toward the droid.   
"What are you smiling at?" Cray demanded, her fists held up in a fighting stance. "Come on, fight me!"   
"That actually hurt," Armenia said, half-amused, half-angry. "You poor, stupid piece of plastic. You were never our leader. You were a tool from the start, Cray. Nothing more."   
"Stop talking and start fighting!" Cray shouted, baring her teeth. It was all she could do to keep from snapping Armenia's head off right then and there.   
Armenia shrugged. "So be it." Then she did something Callista had never seen before. The Kerash warrior made a mad dash toward the enraged droid with quicksilver speed. She seemed about to tackle Cray, just as the droid swung an uppercut for the chin-- --and flipped high into the air, using Cray's shoulders for support. Armenia landed right behind the droid--who was looking around in confusion, wondering where her opponent had gone--and grabbed her by the back of her jumpsuit.   
The white-skinned woman pressed her knee against Cray's spine and bent backwards, pitching the droid over her head and down. Cray flew back a good distance and fell on her stomach, stunned from the surprise attack. She looked up as Armenia glared down at her as if she was a pitiful slave.   
"I can do far worse than that to you if you dare challenge me again," she snapped, venom dripping from her voice. She motioned for two of the other Kerash warriors to bind the droid. "Take her to the detention block," she said. "We'll melt her into scrap before the day is out."   
As Cray was dragged out, unable to doing anything other than weakly struggle with her wrist-cuffs, Armenia looked over at Callista. "And as for you," she said, "I believe someone here wishes to meet you."   
Callista didn't even have time to utter a response before a green, reptilian hand rested on her shoulder from behind. Callista shivered as she felt the cool, strong hand rest upon her shoulder. An almost-electrical shock ran through her body, causing the goosebumps already covering her skin to swell even further. She had no idea who the hand belonged to--and yet, somehow, she already knew the answer. Armenia looked over Callista's shoulder, nodding at whoever was standing behind her, and followed the two warriors dragging Cray away. Slowly, the rest of the crowd followed suit, leaving Callista alone in the enormous docking bay.   
Well, not quite alone.   
"Turn around," a voice calmly said, soft and commanding, like silken honey. Callista obliged, slowly turning as if being pulled on an invisible leash-- could it be the Force?--and faced a tall, green-skinned humanoid. A Falleen, she instantly recognized, for she had known many of them when she had been a Jedi apprentice. Very alien, but strangely handsome, perhaps even more so than most humans she had ever seen. And as she looked deep into his orange eyes, she knew who this man was. The man whose face had dwarfed the holovid screen in the MedCenter. The man who had taken the entire world of Coruscant by surprise with his apparent resurrection from death. The man who had ripped her daughter, her own flesh and blood, away from her.   
"Xizor," Callista said, her voice thick with contempt and disgust. It was not a question, and they both knew it.   
"You've heard of me," Xizor said, not at all surprised. He lifted his hand from her shoulder, and traced his clawed fingers slowly--sensuously--down her arm. "And you are Callista, wife of the vaunted Jedi Master. You are far more beautiful in person."   
Callista immediately drew away from the man, rubbing the tingling in her arm from where he had touched her. It felt as if a granite slug had been crawling across her skin.   
"Don't touch me," she said in a cold, even voice, and she meant every word she said. "Where's my daughter? I know you have her."   
Xizor nodded. "Very good. Yes, the little brat is here, as is the other one. The boy."   
"Why are you doing this?" Callista asked, still clutching her arm. "Why did you take my Hope away from me? What's in this for you?" Xizor made a move as if to touch her again, but Callista stepped back. She didn't want to feel his clammy hand upon her skin again. Not because she hated the sensation.   
Because she had _enjoyed_ it.   
"Power," Xizor then said, gesturing with both hands around the bay. "These Kerash mean nothing to me, Callista. Only absolute power over the New Republic. I kidnapped your daughter because I knew she was the perfect ransom. If I had the daughter of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, I could do anything that pleased me. How else could I have ordered the entire evacuation of Coruscant?"   
Callista shook her head, no longer wishing to hear the words of this madman. "You'll never get away with this. My husband will find us, and when that happens..."   
The Dark Prince merely chuckled. "You are so naive, my sweet," he said. "You see, Skywalker will never find us. Nor will anyone else in the Republic. For I plan to accompany these Kerash to their homeworld...where I shall marry you."  
She recoiled in an instant, glaring gray daggers at the man who stood before her. "NEVER!" she shouted, her voice resonating in the chamber.   
"You do not have any say in this matter," Xizor said, with so much arrogance that Callista was more than tempted to reach out to him and snap him in two. "Once we are married, I will have you under my complete control. You will be my Queen, and once we return to Coruscant, we shall rule side by side over our new empire. The Republic would not dare interfere, should they risk endangering your life."   
Callista could hardly believe what she was hearing. She couldn't take it anymore. "If you think I'm going to so much as touch you, you're very--"  
Before she could finish, she felt a strange sensation overcome her, softening her thoughts as if she had just taken a deep sedatitve. All the anger she felt evaporated like water under Tatooine's scorching twin suns, and as she looked upon Xizor, she wanted nothing more than to hold his body next to hers. To feel his powerful muscles ripple under her hands, to taste the sweetness of his mouth as she kissed him.   
_No_! her mind shouted, almost snapping her out of her trance-like state. _Don't give in! Think of Hope...and Luke... Luke..._   
Callista kept thinking of her husband, how she missed him, and longed to see him again, but the strange feeling covered her like a blanket she could not see but feel, suffocating her, controlling her thoughts and feelings.   
_Luke...help me...Xizor... No! I love Luke! I will always love Luke! Always, always always..._   
"Do not resist, my pet," Xizor said, his voice so beautiful and mellifluous in Callista's ears, it was like the soft singing of a crieka bird early in the chilly morning. "You are merely delaying the inevitable. You know what you truly want, Callista. You cannot lie to yourself."   
Callista shook her head, squeezed her eyes shut, trying with all her might to concentrate on fighting. _Keep...fighting... Must...think of Luke... I love Luke...I love..._   
"Xizor," Callista finally said, barely audible, not even above a whisper, but heard just the same. She looked up slowly and time started to slow as she penetrated Xizor's eyes, the core of his being. Any and all thoughts of Luke and her longing to see him again vanished into oblivion, cast away by a strange power she had no understanding of.   
She didn't care.   
Before she could form any rational thoughts, Callista quickly closed the gap she had formed between herself and Xizor, and he gathered her into a powerful embrace. Her lips locked onto his seconds after, feeling his long reptilian tongue caressing her own. He gripped her by the cheeks and returned the kiss, strong enough to almost bruise the inside of her mouth. The two stood there for a long time, locked in a passionate embrace. In the back of Callista's mind, she knew that what she was doing was wrong, that it was a betrayal to Luke and the rest of her family. And yet...it no longer mattered to her anymore.  
  
No one had spoken in the small cell in a long time. Hope, Anakin, and Llia all either sat or stood in three different corners of the room. Anakin remained on the uncomfortable cot, while Hope used the cold wall as a brace, while sitting on the floor, trying to keep her eyes off Llia. The older girl seemed uneasy, the confidence she had exuded while speaking with Xizor long gone. _Good_, Hope thought with a good amount of disgust. _You ought to feel bad about what you've done_. Hope had no idea how long this lasted: four or five hours, at the most. And yet, it felt almost like years.   
After a while, she found the uncomfortable silence to be extremely unnerving. She almost wished for someone to speak.   
Then, as if on cue, she got her wish. "I'm sorry," Llia finally blurted out, almost too quickly for Hope to understand. She crossed her arms over her chest, as if the room had suddenly grown very cold. "I'm sorry that I had to do this to you."   
Hope was tempted to say something really nasty to the older girl. Who did she think she was? First she went around pretending to be Hope's friend, then ended up stabbing her in the back, and now she was sorry about it? Then Hope stopped herself. Mommy and Daddy had always told her that yelling never made things better. And Llia did seem genuine when she said that she was sorry. Maybe there was more to this than Hope thought.   
Perhaps Llia had no choice.   
There was only one way to find out. "Why did you do it?" Hope asked, trying to sound as nice as possible. "I thought you were my friend."  
"Well...I didn't have any choice," Llia said, confirming Hope's thoughts. "That woman who slapped you...Armenia...she's my cousin."   
That caught Hope's attention. She looked over at the older girl, stunned. "Your cousin?" she said.   
Llia nodded. "She's the only family I've known in a long time. When my family died, she took me in. She made sure that I was fed, clothed, and taken care of. She showed me how to fight, how to be a warrior...how to serve Arak."   
Arak? The name sounded funny in Hope's mind. "Who's that?" she asked.   
"The goddess of the Kerash," Llia explained. "For a really long time, my people have been preparing for her arrival." "Well, where is she now?"   
"I'm not sure," Llia said. "Armenia told me that Arak resides in Raximidaj. It's supposed to be an alternate dimension, where pure evil reigns. Legend says that if the doorway to that dimension is opened, Arak will be brought into our universe."   
Hope was confused by what the older girl was saying. She had never heard of this Arak before; Daddy sure never mentioned her in his Force lessons, and he knew everything. Was she even real?   
"How is the doorway opened? she asked.   
"It requires a Trinity of Blood," Llia replied, her voice slightly higher, tinged with excitement. "A child is chosen from one of the villages on our world, and taken to Arak's temple, where the priests cleanse them of their goodness, until only evil is left. It usually takes years for the child to be purified, and when he or she finally is, the remaining two are chosen from offworld...two who share a special bond that cannot be broken."   
As Llia said those words, Hope felt a sinking feeling deep in her gut. _Two who share a special bond that cannot be broken..._ She and Anakin had shared a mental rapport ever since her birth on Dathomir. Together, they managed to save Mommy and Daddy from death. And if what Llia was saying was true, then...   
"Once the Trinity is formed, the blood of the two with the connection is drawn," Llia said. "And the purified child drinks it." As she spoke, her voice became more eerie with every word. "Armenia says that it will open the portal leading into Raximidaj, and Arak will be reborn."   
Hope remembered the dream she had had on Coruscant, shortly before she had been taken away by Armenia. Of the black figures dancing around her. The blood spilling across her vision... And that was when she realized the meaning of her dream.   
It was her blood.  
  
Garkonis hung in the thick blackness of space like a gigantic green marble as the Millennium Falcon closed in. "There it is," Luke said, his blue eyes taking in the view. "Garkonis."   
"And hopefully Boba Fett," Leanna added coldly, fidgeting in her seat.   
"The _Falcon's_ sensors are picking up a cluster of buildings on the far side of the planet," Luke observed. "That's gotta be the Imperial base. I'm not picking up any other buildings on the planet."   
"Garkonis is a jungle world," Leanna explained. "It has been uninhabited for centuries, due to its extremely humid climate and dangerous terrain. Which is exactly why the Imperials chose it as a place to establish one of their main bases in this system."   
"And if everything goes according to plan," Luke said, "we should find Boba Fett on Garkonis...and then we will finally get some real answers."   
Leanna nodded. "Indeed," was all she said.   
"Leanna, could you tell everyone in the back to get ready?" Luke asked. "I plan to land the _Falcon _as close to the base as we can to avoid having to go through the jungle, probably near the Jrinjan Plateau. So we'll have to move quickly." The white-skinned woman nodded and headed for the rear compartment, while Luke guided the _Falcon_ through the planet's atmosphere, unknowing of the smaller ship slowly trailing after it.  
  
"No, no, no! For the hundredth time, we're trying to find our brother and cousin!" Jaina shouted over the intercom.   
"Nice going, Jaina," Jacen groaned as he watched the three robotic police vessels surround the freighter on all sides, forming a tight triangle around them so that there was no possible way of escape. "You just had to go over the speed limit, didn't you?"   
"It was an accident," Jaina snapped back. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that the Rimdarians had speed limits on hyperspace?" One of the fish- like Rimdarian officers shouted over the speakers in his native tongue, which sounded like two fragile bubbles rubbing against each other. "I can't understand you, sir! Do you speak Basic?"   
"Hahlejlgtam ljadiugoiao lljljle ljalhfaudop ljeljlejl ljagiyrtja oauodufoahlk," was the officer's reply.   
Jaina heaved a melodramatic sigh. These guys were really. Getting. On. Her. Last. Nerve. "DO...YOU...SPEAK...BASIC?" she asked, stretching each word out long and slow so that the officer could hopefully understand what she was saying.   
After a few minutes, another voice replaced the previous Rimdarian, thankfully in a language she could understand. "You have broken the speed limit within this system. We must ask that you give us your name and age."   
Jaina swallowed hard. She wasn't old enough to be flying a spaceship; she had to be at least sixteen years old for that. If these guys found out...  
"Um, my name is...Zaydie Spacewood. And I'm twenty-six." The officer hesitated. "You sure don't sound like you're twenty-six, young lady."  
"Um...eighteen?"   
"Nope."   
Jaina was growing desperate. "Sixteen?"  
"Try again."   
Finally, admitting her defeat, Jaina sighed and told the truth. "I seven and a half. There, you happy?"   
"I see. I'm afraid that you will have to come with us, young lady. And your ship will have to be confiscated for the time being."   
"I can't believe this," Jaina groaned as the police prepared to board the ship. "We're going to jail now."   
"No way!" Jacen said. "We're only kids. How can we be sent to jail?" "Apparently, dear brother, you don't know about the Rimdarians as well as I do," Jaina said. "According to the Rimdarian code of laws, _anyone_ caught committing an offense of any kind has to go to jail."   
Jacen gulped. "Anyone?"   
Jaina nodded. "Afraid so."   
Jacen slumped in his seat, looking as deflated as a balloon. "I wonder what prison food tastes like," he said.   
"I bet it's better than hospital food," Jaina replied.  
  
The week after her mother's death, the funeral was held on the cliff, near their home. As long as Callista could remember, Mama and Papa had wished that when they died, they would be buried at the beach where they had spent so many of their years of happiness. But they had never dreamed it would be like this.   
Callista watched with a deep, frightening coldness as her mother's casket was flung over the funereal cliff into the deep sea, and the priest began the Chadrian song of death. She had not spoken to anyone for the entire week, had not slept, or even eaten. Papa was worried for her, said that she was starving herself and had to eat something.   
It barely registered in her mind.  
When people had asked her father how her mother had died, he had simply called the incident an "accident," not telling anyone about the suicide, or Callista's involvement in it. All she could see now was holding her mother's pale, cold hand in the refresher as she slowly died. How she just watched as the life went from her mother's eyes, and was unable to do anything to save her. And this was all her fault. Because of her, she would never see her mother again. Her mother would never call her "Lissy" again, or make her breakfast, or ask her how she was doing in school, or kiss her good night. Her, or Josef, or Maya, or Arkna.  
Or Papa.  
_And it's all because of me_, she thought to herself. Beside her, Arkna was fighting so hard to keep the tears from falling, whereas Maya was sobbing so hard she was bent double. Josef also cried, as did Uncle Claine, and Papa stood frozen, as if he still couldn't believe that Mama was dead. He wasn't crying--Papa was too strong to cry, he was the strongest man Callista had ever known--but Callista could feel his pain. Even after a week, he was still in shock over Mama's death, was still in denial. It would probably be a while before the reality would sink in, and Papa would no longer be able to hide from the truth.   
The priest continued singing, the song in the ancient Chadrian language. It was beautiful and soothing in Callista's ears, but it did little to make her feel better. It reminded her of how her mother always sang to her when she couldn't sleep...   
That was the last straw. Callista turned and ran off, away from the funeral, away from her grief-stricken family, away from her mother's pale, lifeless body that still haunted her in her mind. She didn't know where she was going, but it had to be better than remaining back there. She heard Papa call her name, demanding that she come back, but she didn't listen, and continued running. She ran until she was over on the other side on the island. She stopped when she reached the Twin Caves, almost out of breath, and a searing pain stabbing her in the side. As she tried to catch her breath, she seated herself on a large rock overlooking the surf. The blue, foamy waves crashed peacefully against the shore, like music to her ears. Callista normally came here whenever she felt depressed, or lonely, or just wanted to escape from real life, get away from it all.   
Now, she needed this sanctuary more than ever. As Callista looked on at the crashing waves--accompanied by a cool burst of wind from the overcast sky--a brief image flickered in her eyes. Her mother, running alongside the shore with Callista, when she was barely two years old, laughing as their feet slapped against the wet sand. Happier times. Happier times she would never see again.   
"Lissy."   
Callista whirled at the sound of her mother's voice. For a brief, fleeting moment, she thought that she would find Mama standing behind her, welcoming her with a hug and a kiss, and assure her that she was all right--   
--and saw nothing. Just a small blue lizard perched on the rock, flicking its pointy tongue at the little girl. Sighing with disappointment, Callista turned back and continued gazing at the endless ocean. _I was just hearing things_, she thought, burying her face in her hands. She would not cry. She would not cry.   
"My daughter..."   
This time, Callista knew that she heard her mother's voice. The little girl stood up and looked around the area, hoping against hope that she would find her mother, alive and well.   
"Mama?" she called, her voice carrying over the lagoon. "Mama, where are you?"   
"Over here, Lissy."   
She turned toward her left--she was sure the voice was coming from there-- and saw her mother. She was dressed in a flowing white gown that went down to her ankles; her hair flowed down her back like a black cascade of water, blowing in the wind. She looked more gorgeous than Callista had ever seen her before.   
"Mama!" An elated shout of joy escaped Callista's lips as she ran toward her mother. Barely able to contain the happiness she felt, she reached out to hug her--  
--and passed right through her body. Callista stopped dead in her tracks, her heart almost skidding to a stop. She slowly turned back and saw her mother still standing there, a smile on her face. But she couldn't touch her.  
"Mama?" she gasped, almost choking on her own words. "I...you're..."   
She nodded sadly. "Yes. I'm dead, Lissy," she whispered.   
"I'm sorry, Mama," Callista said, feeling the slightest river of tears pooling in her gray eyes. "I miss you."  
"Then why did you kill me?" her mother demanded, her voice suddenly changing, taking on a deeper tone. Callista stepped back, shocked by her mother's words. "What? Mama...I-I-I didn't kill you..."  
"Oh, but you did," the ghost retorted, her voice growing into a frightening growl. "I gave you everything, Callista. I gave you life, a home, a family. I gave you everything I could, and you shut me out of your life! You never loved me."   
Callista squeezed her eyes shut and covered both ears, as if that would make the ghost go away. "No!" she shouted, shaking her head over and over again. "That's not true! You're a liar! I _do_ love you. I love you very much!"   
She screamed as her mother snatched her by the wrist, forcing her to look her in the eyes. "You can't even lie to yourself, Callista!" the demon roared, her eyes blazing with red fire. "You never could. My death is only the beginning. The future holds so much more pain and darkness for you and your family. And no one will be able to save you." She dug her fingers--now transformed into claws--into Callista's jaw, drawing a small gasp of pain from the little girl.   
"Have a look, my sweet!"   
Images flashed before Callista's eyes: dark, terrifying images that she had never seen before.   
Of her, a teenager now, wielding a lightsaber in the midst of a bloody battle.   
Of her on board a ship of some kind, surrounded by explosions.   
Fully grown, battling warriors draped in black on a snowy landscape.   
Fighting a woman with white-skin and emerald eyes, in the center of an arena with spectators cheering on.   
Surrounded by a group of cloaked beings, their chants and cackles shattering her eardrums.   
Standing over someone's body--Was it a man or a woman? Was he or she dead?--and screaming with rage and grief, tears masking her face. As these images danced around in her head--taunting her, screaming at her, driving her to the point of insanity--the lagoon seemed to vanish, replaced by the same snow-covered landscape she had seen earlier.   
And she was now lying on the ground, years older now--she wasn't sure how old. Almost naked, and bloodied, as if she had just fought in a battle. Women wearing black robes surrounded her, and as she looked over to her right, she saw a man lying next to her. He was almost dead, his ribs struck by an arrow. He was looking over at her, fear and love shining in his beautiful blue eyes. He reached out and clasped her hand. "Forever," he whispered.   
Callista nodded, returning the grip, as a shadow fell over her. Her eyes slowly crawled back so that she was looking straight up--   
--to stare in her mother's face as she held a mallet and a stake in her hands and prepared to nail her palm into the ground. "NO!" Her mother laughed as she drove the stake deep within her flesh, and everything went black...   
Callista came to with a shriek of terror, her hands clamped against the sides of her head. Gasping, she looked around, and remembered where she was. Xizor had Callista sent to a room adjacent to his own, but with fortified locks on all the doors. Still she paced like a jungle cat in a zoo, checking and rechecking windows, closets, suspicious-looking wall panels, looking for any secret passages or faults in Xizor's security. But Xizor's security was impeccable. Guilt washed over her every second, as she remembered the Dark Prince's lips against her own, his hands on her body. What made her all the more sick was how much she had wanted it. What would she tell Luke? Could she tell him? She wasn't even sure she had the courage to admit that she had betrayed him. She didn't know if he would ever forgive her...   
Furious, she picked up an expensive-looking vase and hurled it at the wall. It shattered into millions of pieces with a horrendous crash. The crash echoed into the room's silence, rescued only by her own irrythmic breathing.   
_I've got to get out of here... Hope! Hope, my darling...where are you? _The doors opened as if in answer. Callista whirled around, her eyes wide and her face full of anticipation.   
But it was Xizor.   
"Anxious, my pet?" he hissed. He stepped closer, but she took a step back. She noticed two guards behind him, each brandishing a thin, wicked silver blade. Xizor paced quietly to the wall and crouched beside the broken vase.   
"Hmm...a pity. That was quite expensive. I shall have to order another." He looked up at her. "But it's no matter, dear." Wiping his hands, he stood up. "Some rather...disturbing news has come to my attention."   
Callista moved to the table, on the end opposite him, never tearing her eyes from him. She could feel his allure washing over her, and with all her might she tried to resist it...  
...but still, she felt her urgent desire that he would lie her on the long ebony table between them and... She shook her head, and bit her lip hard to shake herself back into reality.   
"Really," she said without emotion. Uneasily, she was aware that the two guards accompanying him were coming closer to her.   
"Yes. My sources tell me that you...are with child." He looked at Callista appraisingly, like a father prodding a child to confess on her own. "Is this true?"   
Callista tensed.   
Xizor nodded. "That's what I thought." He raised a finger. The guards behind her grabbed her by the arms and forced her down on the table. She kicked at them futilely, but they were so strong...  
"No! Get off me! Leave me alone!" Frantically, she fumbled for the Force, but she was in no way calm.   
Xizor circled the table and stood to face her. "Oh, my dear...if I am to marry you, do you really think that I want anything of Skywalker's left behind? Don't move, or they will miss and have to do it again." He reached out and touched her stomach, just below her navel. "There," he said.   
And walked away.   
"NO!" Callista screamed, thrashing against the ebony. One of the guards pulled out his knife--   
--and jabbed it into her stomach. "NO!" As she sank into unconsciousness, she reached out and touched the tiny presence within her, tried to urge it back to life. But it was a mere cinder, dimming, dimming... In a matter of moments, that cinder became nothing more than a gray, dead flake of ash.  
  
They treated Callista's wound quickly, so there was little blood loss.   
But still, the wound had served its purpose.   
Callista lay on the bed in her room, curled into a tiny, self-contained ball. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she desperately reached out through the Force, searching for any trace sign of the baby that had once been there.   
Nothing.   
"Come back...come back," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her face contorted into a grimace. "I'm so sorry, Ben..." She'd known it was a boy; it was as clear to her as her own name. She and Luke had long ago decided that their first son would be named Ben.   
But now, he would not come. For a moment, Callista wondered if she'd still be able to have children at all, after this.  
Then she wondered if Luke would even want to have anything to do with her, let alone have children with her, after this.  
She shook with racking sobs, long into the night.  
  
Luke slept little the night before they were to land on the planet. He dreamed of Callista. She was lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room, knees drawn to her chest. Her body shook as she cried. Luke sat beside her, reached out and touched her shoulder.   
She turned up and looked at him. "He's gone," she said, simply.   
Before Luke could ask her what she meant, the heavy door flew open, banging loudly against the wall. Prince Xizor himself stood there, one clawed hand outstretched. He jerked awake, sweating, panting. He was alone in the darkness.  
  
"Push, Callista! Come on, you can do it!"  
"I'm right here, Callie. I'm here for you. You'll be all right."  
The rest of Geith's words were drowned out when Callista screamed again. The last thirteen hours had all been the same, filled with pain, like a white-hot lightsaber slicing through her stomach.  
"Okay, Callista, you need to stop pushing now," a healer knight named Samon told her.  
"Why isn't she coming out?" she whimpered, exhausted. Her head fell back against Geith's arm. His hand squeezed hers every so often. He kissed her temple, and let his mouth rest there for just a few moments.  
"What's going on?" Geith asked Samon.  
"Samon!" Katrinna Ghalas called from the door. "You about done there?"  
"Why?" Samon didn't even turn to face her.  
"There's another one across the hall."  
"What?!" Callista cried, raising her head to stare at Ghalas. As far as she knew, there was only one other pregnant woman on Belsavis...  
"I'll be there in a few minutes," Samon said. He turned his attention back to Callista. "Okay, Callista. Don't panic. That's the last thing any of us want to do."  
"Why would I panic?" she asked, suddenly scared ten times more.  
"Your hips are too narrow. The baby can't get out."  
"What does that mean?" Geith asked.  
Samon looked at him as if to say, _Not now._  
"Oh, stars." Callista moaned.  
"Reach out, Callista," Samon told me. "We'll do what we can...bring her out slowly."  
Callista squeezed her eyes shut, tears of pain, exhaustion and fear trickled down her cheeks.  
"Callie," Geith whispered, lacing his fingers through hers. "I love you. Hang in there."  
She released a shuddering, gasping breath. "Help me, Geith," she pleaded. Then she reached out through the Force, deep within herself to where the baby was trapped-  
There. She wasn't moving, her own simple fear had stayed her progress. Even two months early, she was too big, or Callista was too small. She would have to move the bone, stretch it, make room for her to get out. Gingerly, carefully, Callista set to work, reassuring the baby that everything was going to be okay as she grabbed onto the bones with invisible hands, and then she began to pull.  
Raw, searing pain from between her legs told her it was working, adding itself to the sharp, repeating contractions. She couldn't divert her attention to calming it now...giving in to that weakness would kill them both. Instead, she screamed.  
Geith stepped in, using his own talents to soothe over the burning edges of pain.  
"I see her!" Samon cried. "I can see the head."  
Geith squeezed her hand. "It's almost over, darling. Almost there."  
"All right, Callista, one more push." Samon coaxed. "And...she's...out!"  
A new, shaky, bleating cry joined theirs. Callista opened my eyes, releasing the hold on her bones and exhaling. She was shaking, and even that reflex seemed like a chore.  
Samon wrapped the baby in a blanket. "A lovely baby girl," he said, handing the bundle to her.  
She took her greedily, like one starving and being offered bread. Her arms were so sapped of strength that Geith had to help her hold her.  
"You did it, Callie," he said gently, kissing her softly.  
"We did it," she corrected him, exhaling and taking in her first breath in what seemed like thirteen hours. She gently lifted the baby to her lips and kissed her fuzzy head. "You're so little, baby," she whispered. "How can you have caused so much trouble?"  
Geith chuckled. "What are we going to name her?"  
"Kara," Callista said, knowing absolutely that that was meant to be her name. "Her name is Kara."  
  
Callista laid back against the wall in her room, looking as pale as the dead, her eyes staring off blankly into nothingness. The sobbing had finally stopped, the tears sticky on her face. And yet she made no move to wipe them off.   
It didn't matter any more. Nothing mattered to her anymore. She felt a dull emptiness deep within her womb, where the child had been before it had been horribly ripped away from her. Just hours before, it had been glowing with a new life, slowly growing before it was ready to be released into the world. Her own son, a boy she would have loved with all her heart. And now...   
A deep, powerful hatred was aroused in her, dark and terrifying, something she had never felt before in her entire life. She had felt anger before, true, and had almost fallen to the dark side more than once. But not like this. She wanted revenge. She wanted Xizor's blood on her hands. She wanted to break his neck, and gut him clean, and lick the blood off her hands. She wanted to kill every last person on this ship. And she would soon have her opportunity, as soon as--   
Then she thought of Luke. The man she loved more than anything in her life, and the man she had trusted the most. She had not even had the opportunity to tell him of the new treasure she had had in her womb, that they would now have a son, someone Hope could play with, another child to be proud of. What could she tell him now? That the unborn baby she had kept from him was now dead, ruthlessly murdered by the man she had not so long ago felt a burning desire to kiss?   
For a brief second, she wished that she would never get the opportunity to see her husband again. Because she knew that he would never forgive her for this. Suddenly, it all made sense to her. These dreams she had been having, of her childhood, of her crucifixion on Dathomir, and of Kara's birth. All had ended in tragedy, with her mother committing suicide, her own death at the hands of the Nightsisters, and Kara being taken away by the Imperials.   
It had been a warning of Ben's death.   
Callista cursed herself for not having seen this before. She should have realized that she was risking her baby's life if she went to Anasazi.   
And yet she ignored it, and continued on her mission anyway. Why? Because she was trying to be heroic. Callista pressed her face into the pillows, trying to shut out the plush room she had been given. She felt guilty for having snapped at Luke, having slapped Leia, and accusing her and Han of losing Hope. She had thought ridding them of the Kerash would redeem herself, would make everyone forgive her. And instead, it had cost her the life of her son.   
The door suddenly slid open, sending a cold chill throughout the room. Callista slowly turned her head to see Xizor glide gracefully into the chamber, a forlorn expression on his face. Callista gnashed her teeth at the sight of the murderer, and wanted nothing more than to rip his black tongue out--   
"You must feel a lot of hatred toward me," Xizor said, with mock-sadness. "You must forgive me, my pet. I had no choice. This decision was hard for me to make...I feel even worse than you do right now."   
Callista easily saw through his facade; he felt no remorse whatsoever. He had taken the life of her child, and he was happy about it.   
"You son of a bitch," she said in a weak, raspy voice, backed up with little strength. "You have NO IDEA what I'm feeling right now!"   
"Oh, but I do," Xizor said gently, looking so incredibly handsome, despite what Callista felt toward him. "You see, I have just taken the life of an innocent. A baby who had done no harm to the galaxy. I truly did not wish to do this, but it was the only way for us to be together, don't you understand? And I feel terrible about it." Callista shook her head and looked away. She didn't want him to see the tears blocking her vision.   
"How could you?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "He was my son...and you butchered him."  
"We will have another child," Xizor said, stroking her hair--as Geith had done when she had given birth to Kara. "One that will be even better. Stronger...like us. Once Black Sun is in control over Coruscant, we can have as many children as we want. We'll have a family of our own, my pet."  
Callista sank to her knees. "You bastard," she whispered through shuddering tears. "You bastard...bastard..."   
"Yes, I am. Let me make it up to you. If you let me, Lissy, I will make you love me." Callista looked up at him, wiping her nose. For some reason, his words seemed right. She knew he was telling the truth. They would have another son together. And a daughter...and even more children.   
She would get to have the family she always wanted.  
His hand was extended to her, and she gingerly slipped her fingers into his palm. "Yes..." Callista whispered, feeling the strong sensation again as he lifted her from her knees. She looked down at Xizor's robe, and wanted nothing more than for him to take it off. "Yes, my love..."   
Xizor smiled, and their lips joined again, more powerful and sensual than before. Callista swallowed his entire tongue, and reached down to take off the Falleen's robe.   
"I love you, Xizor," Callista said, her voice muffled. "I want you more than anything else in the galaxy." Xizor smiled again, and bit into Callista's lip. She tasted blood seconds later, but didn't care. She relished the pain, and wanted more of it.   
Much, much more.  
Xizor's clawed fingers slithered beneath the hem of her thin blouse, sending chills up her spine as the nails traced over her bare skin. "I truly am sorry, Callista," Xizor whispered in her ear, lifting the shirt over her head. His scaly head dipped below her chin, his serpentine tongue flicking over her neck and shoulders. "So sorry."   
He lifted her off her feet and kissed her left breast, then the right. It pleased him to feel her tremble. She shook her head, as the robe slowly came off.   
"I forgive you," she whispered back. The rest of the night passed away into darkness.  
  
Xizor let out a huge sigh as he awoke from his slumber, and stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes, his mind starting to recollect what had happened during the night. He was not in his room, but Callista's. And he was lying in her bed, with no clothing on.   
And right, next to him... Callista laid on her side, her back turned to the Falleen. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. Clearly, she was still sleeping, and would not wake up for a few more hours. Despite her disarrayed hair and sweat-soaked skin, she looked more beautiful than any woman Xizor had ever met in his life. The past few hours had been the most passionate hours of his life. Xizor had enjoyed every second of it, and from the look on Callista's eyes as she gave in to him, he could tell that she relished in it as well.   
Or, at least her body did.  
Xizor allowed himself a small smile as he softly stroked his clawed fingers through the woman's hair, trying not to wake her up. The poor thing probably had not had much sleep in weeks; she deserved a little rest.   
Xizor had done his research, and knew that Callista was a very powerful Jedi. She was almost as adept as the great Skywalker himself, and more than capable of resisting Xizor's pheromones. But the stress from losing her children had been taking its toll on her, had clouded her focus, weakened her strength, making her easy prey. Xizor knew that he was taking a large risk doing this. The sensible thing to do was to return to Coruscant and leave her in the hands of these Kerash. He knew that murdering her son would probably mean the death of him in the not-so-distant future. For Callista could not remain under his spell forever...   
Of course, if that ever did happen, the next clone would automatically reawaken.   
Xizor got up a few minutes later and got dressed, careful not to create too much noise. He left the room, where he almost ran into Armenia in the corridor.   
"I have been looking for you, Xizor," the white-skinned woman said. "I trust you made our guest...comfortable?" Xizor nodded, his smile deepening, showing off his fangs.   
"Oh, you have no idea," he said.   
Armenia chose to ignore that comment and added, "We received a transmission from Coruscant. A woman named Guri wishes to talk to you. She says that she has very important news." Xizor nodded, and headed for his personal quarters (the guest quarters on the _Fallen Moon_). Once he was inside and alone, he took out his comm-link and switched it on.   
"Guri?" he said knowing the HRD was on the other end of the transmission.   
"Price Xizor," she said, her voice matter-of-fact. "Good news. The evacuation was a complete success. The New Republic has withdrawn every last being from the planet. Coruscant is now ours for the taking."   
Xizor nodded, despite the fact that Guri could not see him. "Good. Very, very good."   
"What are your further instructions, my Lord?" "Establish our new headquarters in the Imperial Palace," the Dark Prince said. "I trust that our weapon is primed and ready."   
"It is," the droid replied. "Then wait for my further instructions," Xizor said. "Things are going so well for us. In forty-eight more hours, the New Republic will cease to exist."   
"My Lord," the droid said after a moment's hesitation. "When do you plan to return to Coruscant?"  
Xizor pondered that answer for a long time, thinking back to Callista sleeping peacefully in bed, naked and vulnerable, her beauty and spirit so palpable..."Soon," was all he said, then terminated the transmission.   
Xizor had been planning this for years now. He had been preparing for so long, and now it was time for the final blow. After forty-eight hours, the detonators Black Sun had implanted in over fifty percent of the Republic's starships would explode all at once. And the remnants would be wiped out by his own personal fleet, leaving absolutely no resistance. Xizor set the comm-link on the table and sighed. For the first time since his death, things were proceeding according to plan.


	9. Fyorga

Chapter 9  
  
"So, that's it?" Anakin said, perhaps the first time he had opened his mouth in a long time. Hope and Llia turned to face him, and Hope saw pain and anger in his blue eyes. "We're just...gonna be sacrificed like animals. And you're gonna do nothing about it?"   
Llia quickly looked away, ashamed to meet the little boy's eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, for the hundredth time. "But I have no choice. Armenia is my cousin; I have to obey her."   
"Why do you have to obey her?" Hope demanded, forcing the older girl to look her straight in the eyes. "Because she's your blood kin?"   
"No!" Llia shouted, her voice powered by so much unexpected anger that Hope was literally knocked back a few steps. "It's because I am sworn to serve the Kerash Order faithfully and wholeheartedly. I was baptized in the blood of my grandmother when I was born, forever connecting me to the link of Arak. To sever that link would mean death for me...and for you both as well."   
"Well, we're going to die anyways if we just stay here," Anakin shot back, getting off the cot. His knees slightly wobbled, but he managed to remain standing. "Llia, you don't belong with these sickos. You deserve better. Help us escape. Heck, just come with us. Why do you choose to remain here?"   
"You don't understand, Anakin!" Llia said, and Hope swore she saw the faintest shimmer of tears in the girl's eyes. "None of you do. Armenia is the only family I have left. I can't betray her."   
Anakin opened his mouth, as if to say something else--and probably not anything good--but Hope silenced him with a hand on his arm. "She's right," Hope said softly. "We can't force her to do anything. I don't want to drag her into this mess." She looked over at Llia, and her heart went out to her. It must have been horrible for her to have been trapped in a lose-lose situation like this. "There has to be another way."   
Llia's head suddenly shot up, as if she had just gotten an idea. "There might be," she said. Hope and Anakin turned to her, their attention now caught.   
"What?" they both asked.   
"According to our custom, slaves can buy their freedom from their masters by challenging them to a fight," Llia explained. "They must bring their case before the village council and win their approval. The duel would take place in the village square. Everyone, including the village council, would gather to watch it, and the master and the slave would fight. If the slave won, he would immediately become a free man. But if the master won...then the slave is purified."   
"Purified?" Hope said, confused by Llia's choice of words. "What do you mean by that?"   
"Will the slave be given a bath, or something?" Anakin asked, in a joking manner.   
Llia shook her head. "Not at all," she said seriously. "The slave will be thrown into a dungeon underground, and beaten within a centimeter of his life. Our beliefs state that lower beings--people who are not of Kerash descent--carry goodness within them. Our job is to cleanse them, or "purify" them, of this goodness, leaving nothing behind but evil."   
Hope didn't even realize that her mouth was hanging out in a large gaping maw as she listened to Llia explain the gruesome process. The idea of being that badly beaten chilled her. "But, how can we do that?" she asked. "We're not slaves."   
"Technically, you are," Llia pointed out. "You were brought here against your will, as all slaves are. It will still work for you...if you win the duel, that is." "So...what you're saying is," Hope said as she tried to piece everything together, "is that we should challenge Armenia to a fight, and if we win, we'll be free?" Llia nodded. "It's your best shot." Hope looked over at Anakin, his uneasy expression a mirror of her own. Neither child was completely convinced that it would work. They had the Force on their side, true, but Armenia was a strong, fearsome warrior, far too powerful for the two little children. She could easily beat them in a fight, and Hope did not want to be "purified" by these monsters. She wondered who she could find who could fight Armenia.   
The Unknown Regions was one of the most mysterious areas of the galaxy. Largely unexplored, sparsely uninhabited, few people within the boundaries of civilization dared to go out this far into space. Callista herself had traveled a great deal ever since she had become a Jedi Knight, and yet had never had a chance to visit the Unknown Regions.   
Until now.  
She stood on the bridge of the _Fallen Moon_, next to Xizor, who towered over her a good foot and a half. He stood behind her, stroking her hair. Occasionally his fingers traced her back, bare in the gown he'd put her in. The touch of his scaly flesh sent a shiver of self-loathing through her.   
Callista's mind was sickened by his touch, and wanted to pull away from him, but her body said otherwise, and she could do nothing to resist. Silently, Callista cursed herself for being so weak. Ever since she had graduated from Master Djinn's class, she had prided herself in being his most powerful student. Her Force abilities were practially unmatched, her strength and stamina limitless. She had always thought of herself as a physically and mentally strong person...   
And now, here she was, letting herself being seduced by the madman who had murdered her son, unable to fight back...at least for now.   
She felt violated, raped, dirty. She had betrayed Luke in the worst way possible, and he did not even know about it. She felt that she no longer deserved him...and could not forgive herself for this. Callista glanced down at her abdomen. The bleeding had stopped long ago, the tiny mass of tissue that would have become her son removed, but she would always carry a scar, now, until the day she died. She would always be reminded of the new little being she had carried in her womb, still so young and helpless, not ready to be born...torn away from her at the blink of an eye.   
Callista fidgeted a little, causing Xizor to look over at her, an obviously fake look of concern on his face. Callista smiled at him as sweet as she could, reassuring him that she was fine. Unbeknownst to him, however, the smile translated as, _You sick son of a bitch. The minute you release me from your thrall, I'm going to rip your throat out and smash your head into little green pieces._   
And Callista meant every word of it. Xizor could not keep this up forever. He was seriously delusional if he thought she was going to marry him, thrall or not. She knew he would let his guard down sooner or later. And when he did...she would be ready. One way or another, she would have her revenge.   
"Almost there," Armenia said off to their left. "Anasazi really is a beautiful world. It has been a long time since I have last seen it."   
Callista glared over at the other woman when she wasn't looking. Armenia was no better than Xizor; none of these Kerash were. They had stolen her daughter and nephew, to use them as sacifices for their so-called "goddess". She would make sure that all of these people would get what they deserved when she got the chance.   
The _Fallen Moon _exited out of hyperspace moments later, and Callista's eyes settled on the enormous planet crowding the bridge's viewscreen--Anasazi, she presumed. It was large, larger than even the gas giant of Yavin. However, its terrain resembled that of Yavin 4, jungles and more jungles. A vast blue ocean split the enormous contintent in two, like a great barrier. "We'll be landing in my home village, Semaj," Armenia explained. "There, you and the other prisoners will be presented before the village council. And from there...you'll be taken the the Temple of Arak."   
"Where are the children?" Callista suddenly demanded. It felt like years since she had last seen Hope...   
"You'll get a chance to see them soon enough," Armenia snapped. "But not until we land."   
Xizor's hand tightened around Callista's; a silent warning, perhaps. Callista managed to calm down a little, but she would not feel peace until she was reunited with Hope and Anakin again.   
How she wished Luke was here now.  


*  


The chanting of the Kerash priests resounded through the Grand Chamber of Arak as the High Priest freed Kinshur from his dark, lonely prison and led him toward the altar. The black-robed priests were gathered in a half- circle around the altar, chanting in the ancient Anasazi language, calling upon the will of Arak.   
The Grand Chamber was by far the largest room in the temple. Lit up by over thousands of torches bolted into the marbled walls, with a golden-carved altar placed upon a dais in the center of the chamber, and a massive skyroof in the shape of a crescent moon in the ceiling, allowing the sun light to stream through, this was where the Ritual of the Coming would take place. This was where the goddess Arak would be reborn.   
"I am frightened, Tsin," the scarred boy said in a hushed whisper. It had been years since Kinshur had been allowed to speak; he was still growing accustomed to using his voice again. Tsin, the High Priest, laid a hand on Kinshur's scrawny shoulder.   
"Do not worry," he said soothingly. "Arak will be there to guide you."   
The boy nodded, as if being tugged by puppet strings. "Yes," he whispered. "Arak will be there to guide me."   
"Then let us begin," Tsin urged. "Armenia will soon be here with the Bond. The Third Vessel must be baptized in order for the ritual to begin." Kinshur nodded again, and two other priests came to help him up onto the altar, for the boy was so weak due to the purification that he could barely even walk. They picked him up by his arms and legs and hoisted him onto the golden altar. The circle of priests tighened around the boy, their chants growing even louder. One of the priests held out a small bowl with a steaming yellowish liquid filled almost to the rim. Tsin took it in both hands and held it over the boy's head, careful not to spill any of it.   
"In my hands, I hold the blood of a sooman," Tsin began, his booming voice almost drowning out the chants. "This animal's blood represents the blood of Arak, the goddess who will bring retribution and death upon the unbelievers, and riches and rewards upon her faithful followers." He held the bowl up even further, his voice growing to a climax. "O mighty Goddess! Let the sins of the Third Vessel be absolved with your blood. Let the purification be complete so that you may enter our world, and reign it as you did in the beginning."   
Kinshur closed his eyes, quietly praying to Arak in his native tongue. The chants from the other priests built to a thundering roar as Tsin held the bowl high over the boy's head-- - -and poured. The scalding blood fell upon the boy's face, burning into his flesh. Kinshur shrieked, but he was barely heard under the screams of the chanting priests. They began dancing around the altar, flailing their hands into the air in a perfectly choreographed pattern, as Tsin poured the rest of the blood upon Kinshur's face, cleansing him of the final traces of goodness he may have carried within his soul. The boy continued screaming and screaming as steam starting rising from his face, but Tsin ignored it. Pain was such a small price to pay for Arak.   
"So let it be done."  
  
The Verpine homeworld of Taragoth was a barren wasteland, devoid of any and all life save for the insectoid creatures themselves. The surface of the planet was unappealing, which mainly consisted of frequent sandstorms, dry afternoons with temperatures of up to five-hundred degrees, and freezing cold nights that made Hoth look warm in comparison. Taragoth had not always been this way, Leia knew. Thousands of years ago, way before the rise of the Old Republic, it had been a lush, bountiful planet, much like the long-dead Alderaan. An asteroid collision shortly before the Clone Wars had laid waste to the entire planetside, leaving nothing alive in its wake. Only the Verpines, who lived primarily underground, were spared from the devastation. And now, the Verpines were in danger of joining their fellow Taragothians in death, if Leia didn't stop this war.   
The Hive Nest was located hundreds of feet underground, safe from the surface of Taragoth. Han, Leia, and the two Verpine B-wing pilots had just boarded a turbolift that took them downwards. They would reach the nest in a matter of minutes. No one spoke the whole trip down; there was no reason to. Leia still couldn't quell the uneasiness she felt. True, she had managed to convince the Senate to take action against Xizor, but this was an entirely different matter. It had been a long time since she had interfered in a war like this without weapons at her side. What if she couldn't convince the Verpines and the Barabels to make peace after decades of bloodshed?   
As if feeling her tension, Han laid a quiet hand on her arm. Leia looked over at her husband and managed a smile, trying to hide her true feelings. So much had happened to them over the past few weeks: Anakin's kidnapping, Xizor's appearance, the evacuation of Coruscant, Callista's breakdown, the Cray HRD. She had never felt as overwhelmed as she did now, at least not since the early days of the Rebel Alliance, when she had been on the run from the Imperials, having retrieved the blueprints of the Death Star. And even then, at least she had some sort of defense to protect her. Here, she had nothing. She had only herself, and the Force, on her side. And she didn't feel that it was enough. She hoped that she would be proven wrong.   
The turbolift finally stopped, and the foursome were let out, bringing forth a cold rush of air and near-darkness. Leia wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to stop her shivering. The Verpine Hive Nest closely resembled those of ants. Over hundreds of small, greenish-yellow egg sacs were buried within the rock walls. Leia knew from studying Verpine biology that the Hive Queen laid these eggs and incubated them in the walls, protecting them for approximately five months until they were ready to hatch. Until then, the eggs were extremely vulnerable and helpless--not to mention flammable.   
"Lovely," Han said sarcastically, his sleeve brushing against one of the eggs, leaving a thick gooey substance on the brown leather. As Leia and Han stepped inside the chamber, Leia's eyes met those of the Hive Queen herself. She was a towering sight, standing well over twelve feet tall. Her entire body was coated with a black armor-like carapace, which was strong enough to deflect even a laser bolt. Instead of a mouth, she had large black pincers that clacked against each other over and over. A long, thin tail was draped over her shoulder, disappearing behind her broad back. Despite her ferocious exterior, Leia knew that the Hive Queen, though capable of fighting and winning, could be friendly and gentle when she wanted to be. She harbored no hostile feelings toward her or Han...not now, at least.   
"Madame Chief of State," the Hive Queen spoke in a garbled, guttural voice. Leia could barely understand her, but was aware that the Queen rarely spoke with her pincers (the Verpines normally communicated telepathically with each other). "It is an honor to have you and your husband here as guests." Leia nodded, prepared to use all her diplomatic experience to the fullest.   
"The honor is mine, Your Majesty," she said. "But I am afraid that the circumstances surrounding our visit is less than cheery."  
The Hive Queen nodded, a simply bobbing of her angular-shaped head. "Yes. I have been informed of the tragedy on Coruscant. My deepest apologies to you and the rest of the New Republic."  
"That's why we have come here," Leia said, drawing herself to her full height. "Your Majesty, we need your help. We can't defeat Black Sun on our own. The Hapans will be coming, but we need more. With your permission, we would like to borrow some of your manpower. Your B-wing pilots are among the most talented and spaceworthy the Republic has ever known. They would help us a great deal in the upcoming battle."  
The Hive Queen remained silent, her head turned to one of the Verpine pilots who had accompanied Han and Leia into the nest. Neither spoke; rather, they were using their antennae to communicate. Leia considered using the Force to translate what they were saying, but decided against it. This was a personal matter between them, and to intrude into their conversation would be disrespectful.  
She and Han waited patiently until the two had stopped conversing, and the Hive Queen turned back to them.  
"I wish I could help you in this matter, Madame Chief of State," she replied. "But as you fully know, the Verpines have their hands full at the moment with the Barabels. Even now, we are planning on invading their system, while their backs are turned to us. It will ensure us a great victory against the treacherous Barabels."  
Leia and Han exchanged brief, concerned glances. Clearly, the Hive Queen had made her decision, and would be adamant about it. But she did not intend to give up. "I am well aware of your war with the Barabels," Leia said in a stern tone. "But if Black Sun succeeds in obliterating the New Republic, it will only be a matter of time before they hunt down every last world loyal to us--including Taragoth."  
The Hive Queen was taken aback by her caustic attitude and voice. She straightened up, more than a little muffed. "They wouldn't dare," she said.  
"But they will," Leia shot back. No anger, just cold, brutal truth. "Your Majesty, you know that I care about you. I have been your friend for over twenty years, and I sympathize with your plight. I also, however, care for the Barabels. And to see you two tear each other apart like dogs over a war as petty as this saddens me. Wouldn't it benefit both sides so much more if you worked together, rather than as enemies?"   
The Hive Queen shook her enormous head. "You don't understand," she said. "The Barabels have done so many terrible things to my people in the past. Many of our kind has died. So much blood has been spilled on our side. Do you have any idea, Madame President, how it feels to know that people close to you have been eaten by your enemy? It's terrible."   
"But the Barabels have suffered greatly as well," Leia pointed out. "If I remember, you attacked the Barabel colony of Darink two months ago. Killed every last man, woman, and child, and put their bodies on display."   
The Hive Queen looked away, as if ashamed to be reminded of her own doing. "That was different," she said. "We were merely avenging the deaths of our friends and family."  
"But what good does revenge do?" Han demanded. "All it does it get more people hurt." Leia looked over at her husband and nodded. It reminded her of how Vader and Tarkin forced her to look on as the Death Star destroyed Alderaan. And she could still remember the fiery anger she felt toward them, how much she wanted revenge..."All I am asking, Your Majesty, is to meet the Barabel leader on a neutal planet. No weapons, no battleships, no fighting...just talking." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "The Republic needs you both. I'm asking you to--no, I'm begging you to help."   
"Think of how many lives you'll save in the process," Han added. The Hive Queen hissed softly, the Verpine equivalent of a sigh, as if their words had struck a chord with her. After all the years of fighting, of loss, of death, things were now starting to sink in with her. "But...I've done terrible things," the Hive Queen finally admitted. "How can they ever forgive me? It will not work."   
"At least give it a try," Leia pleaded. "It's never too late to apologize. Join us...and help us save the galaxy from Black Sun once and for all."   
The Hive Queen looked over at her fellow Verpines, who silently nodded in encouragement, having listened to the entire conversation with profound interest. Then her bulbous yellow eyes returned to Leia and Han, and she finally nodded. "Very well. Where shall we meet?"  
  
The sight that befell Callista's smoke-gray eyes as Armenia opened the door that led into the cell room of the _Fallen Moon_ aroused a deep sense of joy and relief, something she had not felt for a long time.   
"Hope!" she shouted. Hope turned at the sound of her mother's voice. Almost immediately, she smiled at the sight of seeing her again, and she ran into Callista's waiting arms.  
"Mommy!" she squealed, half-laughing, half-crying. "I'm so glad to see you!"   
"Thank the Force you're alive," Callista said, her own face wet with already-fallen tears. "I thought I would never see you again."   
"Aunt Callista!" Anakin called from the single cot in the room. He practically leaped to the floor and gathered her in a tight embrace. "I'm so scared."   
"It's okay, honey," Callista soothed as she returned the hug. She held the two small children for such a long time, afraid that if she let go, they would be taken away from her again. "It's going to be okay now."   
Armenia cleared her throat, causing all three pairs of eyes to fall upon her. "You have five minutes," she said, then turned to the strange-looking girl who was with Hope and Anakin. "Keep an eye on them while I'm gone."   
The girl--who seemed about ten or eleven years old, and looked strikingly similar to Armenia--nodded as Armenia left the room, her black robe swirling around her like wings as the door slid shut behind her. No sooner was the Kerash warrior gone did Callista, Hope, and Anakin resume their happy reunion.   
"My poor babies," she whispered, desperate to hold them as close as possible. "We're going to be okay now."  
"But what about those bad people?" Hope asked in a frightened voice. "What are they going to do to us?"   
"They won't do anything, Hope," Callista said sternly. "I promise. I would never let anything bad happen to you."   
"You don't have much time," the other girl said from the closed doorway.   
Callista stood up and looked down upon the child, a bit wary, but also careful not to jump to conclusions. "Are you with them?" she demanded.   
The girl nervously nodded. "My name is Llia. Armenia is my cousin."   
That took Callista by surprise. "You're so young," she observed, horrified that a girl so young and innocent could be involved with these terrible people.   
Llia nodded. "I got your children into this mess, and I'm going to get them out."  
"Do you know of a way to escape this place?" Callista asked.   
"No, but there is another way," Hope replied. "Llia, tell her."   
The little girl nodded, and turned to face Callista, her emerald eyes strikingly lovely. "Many times on our homeworld, a slave who is dissatisifed with his master has the right to fight for his freedom...by challening his master to a duel."  
"A duel?" Callista had fought many times before in hand-to-hand combat, but she rarely enjoyed it. "What kind of duel?"   
"One that would take place in the battle arena of the village the slave and master live in. It is the only form of entertainment on Anasazi, and it is always extremely bloody. No weapons are allowed. Only fists."   
Callista could mentally picture it right now. Herself standing in the middle of an arena, with dozens of anxious spectators cheering her and her opponent on, demanding blood and death...   
"The fights can last from five seconds to five hours," Llia continued. "If the slave wins, he is freed from the bonds of slavery. If the master wins, however, the slave is purified." Callista shuddered, recalling what Cray had told her about the Kerash purification ritual. "How does the slave ask for the challenge?"   
"He presents it before the village council. They must approve of it first before anything else can happen." Callista nodded, her brain quickly processing everything the little girl had told her. She had fought before--from HRDs to Nightsisters--and had always emerged the victor. If she could do it before, she could do it again.   
"Who do I have to fight?" she asked.   
Llia took a deep breath, as if afraid to answer that question, and said, "You have to fight Armenia."   
Callista looked over at Hope and Anakin, who awaited her reply with anxious eyes. Armenia was more than a worthy opponent for her; she was not Force- sensitive, but she was more than capable of holding her own in battle, as demonstrated in their fight in the Underworld. And if she lost to Armenia...   
"Fine," she found herself saying, her eyes trailing back to Llia. "Then I'll do it."   
Llia sadly nodded, perhaps not surprised by Callista's answer. Hope tugged on Callista's jumpsuit leg. "Mommy, are you sure you want to do this?"   
Callista dropped to her knees so that she was staring Hope straight in the eye. "If it means ensuring your safety and Anakin's, Hope, then I'd be willing to go to the dark side and back just to do that." She stroked her daughter's hair--so soft and beautiful--and kissed her on the forehead. She could sense Hope's fear, fear for her mother's survival.   
"What if you die, Mommy?" Hope said.   
"I'm not going to die, Hope," Callista answered honestly. "I promise."   
At that moment, Armenia burst into the room, followed by two other warriors carrying stun-cuffs. "Your five minutes are up," the white-skinned woman snapped, and nodded toward the two children.   
Hope and Anakin both whimpered as the two warriors separated them from Callista and bound their hands behind their backs. "Don't hurt them!" Callista demanded, her voice sharp and acrid. If they so much as hurt them, so help the Force--   
"You are in no position to demand that," Armenia said, moving forth so that her face was mere centimeters from Callista's. "Perhaps seeing your daughter die right before your eyes will change your attitude." Her voice dropped to an abrupt whisper. "Or didn't you learn anything when Xizor gutted your baby open?"   
Callista was so tempted to beat Armenia's face in when she said that, she could almost taste it in her mouth. But she looked over at Hope and Anakin, who seemed so lost and confused and scared. She had already lost one child to these people. No more. Callista finally looked away and silently nodded. "As you wish," she said. Armenia smiled in satisfaction. "Good dog. Now, let us be off. We must present the three of you before the village council of Semaj."  
  
Luke laid awake in his cot, covered in a thin layer of sweat, almost completely immersed in darkness. It took him a few minutes to realize that he had been holding his breath. Trying to snap out of his reverie, Luke took several fresh gulps of cold air. With one hand reaching out, he hit the switch that ignited the lights in his room, eliminating the blackness.   
_A dream, _he kept telling himself, not even aware that he was shivering, and it was not because of the cold. It was only a dream. But what if it was more than that? Obi-Wan and Yoda had once told him that warnings and omens sometimes came in the form of dreams. It had happened when Obi-Wan had visited Luke for the last time, shortly before the rise of Thrawn, telling him that he could never see him again. It had happened when Exar Kun had managed to invade his dreams and masquerade as his father. But why were Callista and Xizor in his dream?   
_He's gone._.. Callista's haunting words echoed in Luke's mind, deep with regret and sorrow. What had she meant by that? Who was gone? And then he remembered Xizor... Luke remembered what Leia had told him when she had encountered Xizor all those years ago, how he had seduced her with his pheromones, made her believe she was in love with him. If his dream was any indication, Callista may be with Xizor right now. And if that was true...   
"No!" Luke shouted, barely aware that he had just spoken out loud. No one was around to listen anyway. "No, she would never do that. She would never even think of..." Whether it was true or not, Luke knew that they needed to desperately find Boba Fett, more than ever now. He was the only one who could lead them to Xizor. And if they couldn't find him...then it might be too late for all of them.   
As Luke climbed out of his bed, the door slid open, revealing Tionne. "Master Skywalker," she said, "are you all right?"   
Luke nodded. The silver-haired Jedi historian must have heard him yell. "I'm fine," he lied. "I just...had a bad dream, that's all."   
Tionne pursed her lips. He was not telling her the complete truth, and they both knew it. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Luke shook his head, releasing small droplets of perspiration into the air. "No...not right now, at least."   
Tionne nodded, and dropped the subject. Out of all of Luke's original students, Tionne was the one he trusted the most. They both shared a deep, mutual respect and friendship with each other, a bond that could never be broken. Luke felt a little guilty that he wasn't being completely open to her, but knew that she respected his decision, and would not press further about it.   
"We've landed on the Jrinjan Plateau," she said. "Just two miles away from the Imperial outpost."   
Luke nodded as he dressed into his black jumpsuit. "Any sign of Imperials yet?" he asked.   
Tionne shook her head. "None, so far. They must be slacking off."   
Luke had to smile at that. "That'll work to our advantage," he said as he buckled his lightsaber to his belt. "Hopefully, Boba Fett will be among them."   
"I hope so, too," she agreed. Moments later, the two left the room and headed outside the _Millennium Falcon_, where everyone else had gathered. The Jrinjan Plateau was the tallest hill on Garkonis. Green-grassed blessed the ground rather than the tall, tangled trees that populated the jungles of the planet. It overlooked the entire countryside--including the Imperial base.   
"There it is," Luke pointed out. "If we're hoping for a lead to Xizor, then this has to be it." He shuddered at the mention of the Falleen's name, remembering his dream...   
"So, what's the plan?" Kyp asked. "Kyp, you and Tionne will remain here," Luke instructed. "In case any Imperials come here, and there is a good chance that will happen. Everyone else will accompany me to the outpost. I'll cloak everyone with the Force so that the Imperials can't detect us. And if everything goes according to plan...we might just find what we're looking for."   
The Jedi nodded amongst themselves, agreeing with their Master's plan. Leanna Kai, armed practically to the teeth, seemed willing and ready to fight. Luke nodded, as he switched on his lightsaber. "Then let's go."  
  
From one of the gnarltrees below the Jrinjan Plateau, Boba Fett waited, staring through his macrobinoculars, as the Jedi ensemble departed from the Millennium Falcon and headed down the hill, more than likely heading for the old Imperial base. The bounty hunter watched with cold, steely eyes as he focused on Skywalker, who lead the group with his greenish-white lightsaber.   
The fool really must have believed that the base was still being used.   
The Imperials had abandoned the base long, long ago, since the destruction of the first Death Star, at least. With Skywalker distracted, it gave Fett the perfect opportunity to destroy the _Falcon._ Readjusting his binoculars, Fett focused on the two Jedi guarding the YT- 1300. They would not offer much resistance for the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy, he had no doubt of that. He had been swallowed by the Sarlacc, and lived to tell about it.   
He was Boba Fett, and he was capable of anything.  
  
The first thing Callista noticed as she, Armenia, Hope, Anakin, and half a dozen Kerash warriors left the _Fallen Moon_ was the stench. It smelt of death and decay, and it almost made her gag on her own saliva. And as they entered the village of Semaj, she quickly understood why. Surrounding the entire village was a vast wall--possible constructed to keep intruders out--built completely out of human bones. There must have been over hundreds of them, many with small pieces of flesh attached to them. Swarms of flies covered the skeletons, picking off whatever was left. The smell emanating from the wall was so unbearable that Callista was lucky she didn't pass out. She looked down to see how her daugher and nephew were doing. Hope and Anakin was transfixed on the horrendous construction, their faces as pale as a ghost. She gripped their hands, quietly encouraging them--_We won't be here much longer, kids, if everything goes well_--and they continued on.   
The inhabitants of Semaj had to be among the filthiest, most grotesque people Callista had ever seen. The people she saw--most of them toiling the crops on the outskirts of the village--were covered head to toe with filth. Apparently, no one on Anasazi ever bathed, she thought with disgust.   
"Um...your people seem to...have very poor hygiene," Callista said to Armenia. The white-skinned woman nodded, perhaps agreeing with her, and not at all offended by her remark. "My people do not believe in using water to cleanse themselves," she explained. "We believe that water is a sign of washing away the evil within us. And we must keep that evil in order to serve Arak. So...we bathe in the blood of our prisoners."   
This time, Callista did gag. "Blood?" she gasped.   
Armenia nodded again. "Blood is the sign of death and power. If we bathe in it, the evil inside us grows stronger." She looked over at Callista and gave her a sly smile. "Perhaps you would like to try it."   
Callista averted her eyes, disgusted. The idea of having someone's blood poured all over her body made her ill. She would rather dive into a swarm of piranha-beetles than do that. "No thanks," was all she said.   
We must hurry," Armenia pressed. "The council is waiting for us." The group headed for the tallest building in Semaj, a tall, conical tower made of mud and brick. To Callista, it almost seemed like it had been carved in the shape of an alien head--and maybe it was. Already, a mob of curious onlookers were trailing after them, whispering amongst themselves, wondering who the three strangers in their village were.   
One of them--a very old woman with no teeth and dry, wrinkled skin that felt like the flesh of a corpse--grabbed Callista by the left arm and said something in a language she didn't understand.   
"Fyorga! Fyorga! Ahrua joaueja lurial binama!" the woman shouted, over and over again.   
Callista tried to squrim her arm from the woman's grip, but she was surprisingly strong for someone her age. "I'm sorry," she said, careful not to panic. "But I don't understand what you're saying."   
Armenia slapped the old woman's hand away, saying something in her native tongue. The hag backed away, her eyes wide with fright. She kept staring at Callista, even as they entered the council building. "What was that all about?" Callista asked.   
Armenia shrugged. "Don't worry about it," she replied, shoving Callista forward so hard that she almost fell. The inside of the building more or less resembled the rest of the village: cold, unappealing, and dead. The skulls of long-dead beings hung from the walls and ceilings--more prisoners of war, Callista assumed. As she took in the sight, she saw at least seven people, draped in black, seated in a semi-circle table in the center of the room. _They must be the village council_, Callista thought. She couldn't make out their faces, and thus couldn't tell whether they were male or female. Armenia stepped forth and addressed the council, making her presence known. Her underlings surrounded Callista and the two children, making sure that they wouldn't escape. "I have returned, bearing what the Goddess Arak seeks. The two beings that share the special bond that will bring her into our world."   
She gestured with one hand, indicating Hope and Anakin, who shrank back in fear. One of the council members nodded in approval and spoke in a deep, masculine voice. A male, obviously, and the leader of the council. "Excellent work, Armenia. The council is pleased with your success, and you will be rewarded."   
His head moved past Armenia's shoulder, and focused squarely on Callista. "And who is this woman you have brought with you? Surely, she is not of the Sacred Trinity." Callista flinched under the stare of the council member. It unnerved her that he could see her face, but she couldn't see his, and she was tempted to go over there and knock the hood off his head. Armenia shook her head and looked over at her. "The mother of the little girl," she explained. "Apparently, she decided to follow us in an attempt to save the two children. As you can see, her attempt was futile."   
"We have no use for her," the council member said, then pointed at the two children. "But these two...they are very special, indeed. I can feel their power. It is exactly what we seek."   
"At long last," another said, "the Goddess shall be released from Raximidaj, and reign over all."   
"The Third Vessel is almost ready," added a third. "We must bring the Bond to the temple and prepare them for the Coming."   
"By drawing their blood," the leader said.   
At the sound of those words, Callista stepped forth and yelled at the top of her voice, so that all in the room would hear, "I challenge Armenia to a fight to the death!" The room burst into an uproar after she spoke.   
Dozens of voices surrounded her, mixing in together so that it was incoherent. She saw Armenia stare back at her, a shocked expression on her face. Apparently, she had not been expecting that. No one had. After the room quieted down, Armenia took a step toward Callista.   
"How did you know about the right of challenge?" she demanded.   
Callista shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Armenia. As a prisoner, I have that right." She then met the eyes of the council. "Your law states that any slave has the right to fight his or her master in exchange for freedom. Is that true?"   
The council leader fidgeted in his seat before replying, "Yes, Skywalker, indeed you are correct."   
Armenia turned back, even more shocked, if that were possible. "How can you say that?" she snapped. "She's not my slave, and I'm not her master! Therefore, the challenge is folly!"   
"Not true," Callista pointed out. She had prepared for any argument Armenia might spit out. "My children and I were brought her against our will. You held us captive on the _Fallen Moon_ during the entire trip to Anasazi. So, technically, we are slaves, and therefore have the right to challenge you." She allowed a smile to cross her face as she said, "Or are you afraid, Armenia?"   
That apparently struck a nerve, for Armenia answered with a inhuman glare. "I swear by the will of Arak that I will defeat you without even breaking a sweat."   
Taking that as a yes, Callista focused on the council members. "With your permission," she said, "I request that the duel take place within the next hour."The council members took five minutes to discuss it amongst themselves, their voices barely above a whisper. Callista could hardly make out anything they were saying, but there was no reason to. The final verdict was pretty much unanimous.   
"Your request is approved," the leader said. "The duel will take place in the village arena within an hour. If you win, you and the children are free to go. If Armenia wins, you will remain on Anasazi...and be purified."   
Callista nodded, and the meeting was adjourned. As she bent down to reassure the children, she could still hear Armenia ranting. "But--this is ludicrous! Even if she wins, you cannot allow her to take the children with her! They are the Bond, and we cannot perform the ritual without them!"   
"Arak once said that the Kerash must respect all of their laws, young warrior...even the law of challenge."   
"Mommy," Hope said, as she hugged Callista as strongly as she could. "I don't want you to fight."   
"I know, sweetie," Callista whispered in her ear. Her child felt so delicate and vulnerable in her arms. It tore her apart to see her like this. "But this is the only way for us to survive this. If I win this fight, we can all go home. And see Daddy again."   
Callista felt a deep pang as she mentioned Luke, and she thought immediately of Xizor... "Promise me you'll be careful," Hope said, her voice choked with tears.   
Callista nodded, careful not to cry. She had to remain strong in front of them. "I promise with all my heart, baby." She reached out and included Anakin in the embrace. "Anakin, honey, if anything happens to me, I want you to take care of your cousin. Do you promise?"   
"Cross my heart, hope to die," Anakin said bravely. "Kick her butt, Aunt Callista." Callista chuckled at her nephew's weak joke. A good laugh was what she desperately needed at a time like this.   
As the council disassembled, Callista, Hope, and Anakin were led out of the building and back outside, where the mob of onlookers awaited them. "Take them to the prison hut," Armenia demanded. "And bind them until the battle." She looked over at Callista and snatched her violently by the arm. "I think you should know, Callista," she snarled in her ear, "that I happen to be the best fighter at the Kerash's disposal. No one has ever managed to beat me before."   
Callista nodded, accepting what she said, and met her opponent dead straight in the eyes. "Until now," she said. Armenia sneered. "Looks like we'll find out in another hour." With that, the three prisoners were led away.  
  
Xizor remained alone on the _Fallen Moon_, contemplating everything that had transpired since he had hired Boba Fett to kidnap the daughter of Luke and Callista Skywalker. He was in his personal quarters (provided by Armenia; it had belonged to a warrior named Voreo, who had died recently on Coruscant), sitting quietly at the crystal-glass table, his comm-link in one clawed hand. As far as he could tell, he was the only one remaining on the ship. Everyone else had either accompanied the prisoners to Semaj, or headed for other parts in the jungle. Where they went off to, Xizor didn't know, and he didn't particularly care, either. All that mattered to him was gaining complete control over Coruscant--and Callista. So far, he had accomplished both tasks quite successfully. Now it was time for the final step. His decison made, Xizor activated the comm and contacted Guri on Coruscant.   
The HRD picked up his transmission within seconds, her voice coming from the tiny speaker. "Yes, my Lord?"   
"It's time, Guri. Set them off."   
"As you wish, my Lord." Xizor flicked the comm off and set it down on the table, patiently tapping his claws together.   
He slowly began counting down. "Five, four, three, two..."  
  
On the main deck of the Mon Calamari cruiser Dantooine, Wedge Antilles surveyed the massive cluster of ships gathered on the outskirts of the system. He had fought in so many space battles before: both Death Star attacks, the battle of Gall, the attacks on Imperial warlords like Zsinj and Ysanne Isard. But never before had he seen an enormous cluster of ships on a scale like this before. There must have been over a thousand transports, and he wasn't even counting the numerous Mon Calamari battleships, Corellian corvettes and gunships, Nebulon-B Escort Frigates...   
Hopefully, the number would increase even further, if the Hapans arrived in time, and the Chief of State succeeded in her mission.   
"Sir?" one of the uniformed officers called from his post. "I've just received word that the final transport has departed Coruscant. The entire planet has been evacuated. We must have over trillions of people boarded in these ships." His voice took a very concerned tone as he added, "I hope the Chief of State was right in doing this."   
"Trust her," Wedge assured him. "The President knows what she is doing."   
"Now that all the civilians are safe, should we send all our battle cruisers to attack Black Sun?" the officer asked.   
Wedge shook his head, his eyes focused on Coruscant, which seemed so far away it almost looked like a distant star. "Not yet, Ensign. For one thing, we don't even know where to find Xizor. And the Chief of State has specifically stated not to do anything until she has returned from the Verpine System. And with the Hapan fleet arriving in three standard hours, we should--"   
An huge explosion flashed before the viewscreen, throwing Wedge and everyone else on the bridge onto the floor. His head struck agains the hard metal, sending a jolt of pain through his spine. What had just--   
More explosions followed, like a chain reaction, lighting the entire bridge in a wash of white and yellow. Wedge squeezed his eyes shut for the longest time, worried that he might have gone blind, and that the ship would enveloped in the flames. After several more prodigious bursts, the fire slowly dissipated into space. The crew members uneasily got up and inspected each other for any injuries. Wedge was helped up by two of his fellow officers, barely able to register what had happened. And the moment his eyes saw the viewscreen, he knew.   
Debris from thousands of destroyed ships littered the space around them, like a metallic asteroid field. Several of the surviving ships were mercilessly hammered by the debris, the Dantooine included. The floor beneath them buckled under the stress, but Wedge was still too dazed to order and evasive. Detonators. Xizor had implanted the Republic ships with detonators. And as a result, over half of their ships floated in ruin across the cold vastness of space.  
  
An hour passed by so fast that it felt almost like mere seconds for Callista. But sure enough, no sooner was the hour over did a pair of Kerash warriors enter the small prison hut she and the children had been placed in to bring them to the arena. Throughout the entire hour, no one had spoken. Hope and Anakin, completely exhausted after everything they had been through, had fallen asleep in Callista's lap. She had been careful not to awaken them--for they deserved a little rest, the poor things--and stroked their hair as they slept, singing a tune that her mother used to sing to her when she was a child. Now, Hope and Anakin were wide awake, and taken to the battle arena in stun- cuffs, a few paces ahead of Callista.   
Hope turned to see her mother, fear wide in her eyes. Callista smiled and nodded. "Be strong, my Hope," she said. "We'll get through this."   
The battle arena was located just outside the village of Semaj. It was by far the largest construction Callista had seen on this planet so far, shaped like an ancient Mandalorian colosseum. She squinted her eyes--for the glare in the daylight was staggering--and saw over hundreds of people already gathered there. Apparently, fights like these were a popular entertainment among the denizens of Anasazi, she thought.   
At this point, the group separated. Hope and Anakin were led into one of the many archways that led into the colosseum, while Callista was taken into a small door that led elsewhere--probably where the fighters were taken before the battle. She looked over at Hope, and they both shared a silent, final goodbye before they were led away in different directions. The room Callista had been brought into was dark and musty. It seemed more like a corridor than anything else, with another doorway at the end, leading out into the main arena.   
Callista could hear the din outside above her, people milling about, cheering, screaming, anticipating the blood that would be spilled. Callista felt a sick sensation in her gut as she realized what was about to happen. For the first time since she had declared the challenge in front of the village council, she was nervous. What if she lost?   
"The rules are simple," one of the Kerash warriors said to her left. "No weapons are used in this battle. In your case, no Force powers, or you will automatically forfeit the challenge. The fight can last for as long as you like, as long as one of you ends up on the ground for more than ten seconds."   
The man leaned forth so that only Callista could hear what he said next. "In all honestly, my dear, I pray that the end for you is quick."   
The second warrior pointed down toward the doorway farther up ahead. "Once we're gone, start walking toward that door. Once the gates are closed and locked, that door will automatically open by itself, and you step out into the arena. Understand?"   
Callista barely nodded, horrified by what these people were saying. She couldn't even use the Force in her defense? The Force was what helped her win her battles in the past. Without it, she was no match for Armenia.   
"Good luck," the first one said, as they turned and closed the door shut behind her. Callista was left alone in the dark tunnel, the first beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. The crowd outside was growing louder and more impatient. They wanted to see a fight, and they wanted it now. Briefly, she wondered where Armenia was at this moment, and if she was feeling nervous about this as well._ I can't do this,_ she started thinking. _There's no way I can win this without the Force. Armenia will win for sure...   
No! Keep thinking of Hope. And Anakin. I know I can win this. Win this for them, so that we can finally go home again...   
_Callista kept saying this over and over again, and when she finally regained some of her confidence, she took a deep breath. "It's now or never," she said, as she turned to face the far door.   
She began to walk, slowly at first, then increasingly faster. Fueled by stamina and adrenaline, she began running, running toward the door. She could still hear the crowd outside, cheering as the battle was ready to begin. It sounded as if they were cheering her on, to reach the door. _Think of Hope...Think of Hope...   
_Just as she reached the doorway, it slowly began opening up, as if it had a life of its own. Sunlight poured through the open portal, bathing Callista in white-yellow luminosity. The cheers--muffled by the walls that had surrounded her--were now amplified a hundred-fold. The inside of the arena was mostly dirt, with a circle of tall poles standing erect and tall in the center, torches mounted on top of each of them, covering an area as large as the bridge of a Mon Calamari starship.   
A crescent moon had been drawn on the ground inside the poles, and Callista guessed that was where the fighting would take place. As soon as she stepped outside, the spectators focused on her. The cheers were suddenly replaced by boos and taunting, as the people of Semaj got a chance to meet the foreigner who had arrived at their village. Some even threw rotten food in Callista's direction, and she cried out as a half- eaten apple smacked against the side of her head. _Don't give in,_ her mind said, the moment Callista felt a tiny build-up of anger. _Just ignore them..._   
Callista breathed in, and did just that. Holding her chin up high, clinging to whatever dignity she had left, she strode toward the battle area, the crowd shouting after her. _Master,_ she silently prayed to Djinn. _Let your teaching come to my aid. I've never needed it more._ More food was thrown at her, and even a few stones. One sharp one struck Callista's shoulder, and cut open a shallow wound. It quickly became warm with blood, but she refused to cry out in pain. Pain was what these barbarians wanted. And she wasn't prepared to give them the satisfaction.   
As she walked, she saw Hope and Anakin, watching from the gate that circled the colosseum, two Kerash standing over them. Hope gave her mother a sad smile, trying to hide her fear. Her cheeks were stained from already-shed tears, and Callista's heart went out to her. Hope was trying so hard not to be afraid, so that her mother would not have to worry about her while she battled. She truly was a brave soul. She gave her daughter a nod-_-My sweet, brave Hope--_and continued on.   
She passed between two of the poles and stood atop the enormous moon drawing, amidst the din, as thousands of eyes watched her, cursing at her in their native language. She could even see the village council, all gathered at the highest seats in the colosseum. All that was left now was her opponent. Who came out seconds later, amidst a succession of cheers from the crowd, absent of her black robe, and instead clothed in a tight black jumpsuit. The long sleeves of her shirt and pants were pressed tightly against her arms and legs, showing off her impressive musculature. She wore sharp-toed boots that went up to her knees, and black gloves on her hands. Her raven hair had been pulled back in a ponytail, giving Armenia an exotic, but deadly, appearance.   
Callista knew she looked ragged in comparison, with her torn jumpsuit, disheveled hair, and mud-caked boots, but the end result was all that mattered.   
As long as she had confidence in her skills, she knew she would succeed. She waited as Armenia stepped into the circle, tossing her hair aside. Her emerald eyes focused mercilessly on her opponent, who glared back with equal force. As the cheers slowly died down, the village council leader stood from his seat and addressed everyone gathered at the colosseum.   
"You know the rules!" he shouted, his voice so loud and deep that it carried across the entire area. "The warrior that is left standing wins! No weapons, no mind powers. The fight can last for as long as you both choose."   
He held his left hand up, an quickly down, like the chopping of a blade. "BEGIN!!!!" The crowd began cheering again, loud and deafening like the waves of a hurricane on Chad. Armenia and Callista faced off, both going into their respective fighting positions, hands held up into fists.   
The battle was begun.


	10. Dancing

Chapter 10  
  
Callista recalled what she had told Leia about Ilios and Cerante, how the two Jedi students had gotten into an extremely violent fight. Back then, when she had still been a young novice under the instruction of Djinn Altis, she had not known much in the way of hand-to-hand combat. But in their fight, she had seen a lot of punching and kicking...   
Armenia began the fight with a left jab for the neck. Callista moved both hands up to deflect it, and realized too late that it had been a feint. Almost immediately, she felt Armenia's foot hit her in the temple, knocking her off-balance and against one of the poles that surrounded them. She nearly fell to her knees, but she held herself steady. _Don't fall! _ she commanded herself. _Do..not...fall..._  
The cheers of the audience grew louder in her ears, and she was surprised that she wasn't deaf by now. Trying to shake the nausea and disorientation in her head, she looked up to see Armenia come in for a second blow. And then she remembered what Cerante had done. A kick to the gut had managed to take Ilios's breath away for a precious few seconds before...   
Moving with incredible speed, Callista shot forth and shoved with the palm of her hand, hitting Armenia in the breast with just enough strength to push her back a step or two. As she tried to regain her balance--almost on the edge of hitting the ground--Callista snapped a powerful front-kick into her opponent's stomach.   
A gasp of unexpected pain escaped Armenia's mouth as she staggered back, trying to breathe again. Within seconds, she had recovered--far too quick for Callista to continue her attack. The two women circled each other, slowly, like two sand panthers stalking each other. The yelling and screaming from the spectators droned on, a mix between cheering for Armenia and booing for Callista, surrounding them, almost distracting Callista from her opponent.   
Then Armenia attacked, first a kick to the knee, followed by a backhand. Apparently, she had spent a lot of time fighting. Callista successfully evaded the two blows, and the combatants were joined. Both threw as many punches and kicks as they could, neither managing to knock down the other for now. Callista kept thinking back to what Djinn had taught her.   
She silently thanked the old Jedi Master for showing her how to fight with her bare hands, when she didn't have a lightsaber available. Callista used her elbow to knock a blow to the ribs away, and made an attempt to slam it into Armenia's breastbone. The Kerash woman shot her hand up, effortlessly blocking it. Her knee suddenly flew into Callista's chest, sending a river of pain burning through her ribs. Nothing was broken, thank the Force, but it still hurt like hell.   
Callista stepped back to regain her strength for a brief second, and threw a blow for the jaw.   
Blocked.   
Armenia struck again, her fist hitting her squarely in the jaw. Callista tasted blood in her mouth--she must have accidentally bit her tongue from the punch, and hard--but she had no time to spit it out, for Armenia was aiming for a third punch. And she couldn't afford another one. Without even thinking--her only thought to get Armenia away so she could have a chance to recover--Callista kicked out with one foot, connecting cleanly with the gut. Armenia was knocked back a few steps, not nearly enough time for Callista to fully recover. But what little time she had was hopefully enough. Were it not for these detestable rules, Callista could have easily flung Armenia into the far wall of the colosseum with only her mind, and that would have been the end of that. But, seeing that she couldn't... Callista decided not to give Armenia a chance to attack again, and went immediately for the offensive.   
She charged forth and executed an impressive high-kick for the head, which would have knocked the other woman down had it connected. But Armenia was more than prepared, and her hand went up to deflect Callista's foot. Callista grunted in frustration--this woman was harder to fight than she had thought--and aimed an elbow for the chest. Again, her blow was proved futile, and Armenia punched her in the face. And again a second time. Callista's vision swam, and she didn't even have time to register what had happened before Armenia reached forth, grabbed her by the shoulders, and rammed her knee as hard as she could into her gut. Once. Twice. A spin, and a kick to the face nearly knocked Callista down. More blood burst from her lips, painting the dirt a dark red.   
A burning feeling rose up in Callista's throat, urging her to vomit. Stars exploded in her head, and she almost fell. _Keep fighting! Keep fighting, damn you!_   
"Mommy!" Hope shouted from across the arena, sensing her mother's distress. At the sound of her daughter's high, frightened voice, Callista's strength returned to her. Whether it was the Force or her own fear for her daughter's life, she wasn't sure. But it was enough for her to regain her focus. As she wiped the trickle of blood from her mouth, Armenia swung her elbow forth, intending to hit her square in the neck. Callista sidestepped and blocked the elbow with her arm. She tightened the grip, holding the woman immobile. Her elbow struck the woman in the stomach seconds later, drawing a breathless gasp of pain from her. She elbowed her again, this time in the face. Armenia's head was snapped back, accompanied by a small fountain of blood from her nostrils. Callista, still, holding her by one arm, flipped the woman down, hoping that would send her sprawling to the ground. Somehow, Armenia managed to use the flip to her advantage. With incredible acrobatic skills, she landed safely on her feet, a few steps away from Callista. Not wasting a beat, Callista strode forward--disregarding the crowd's displeasure at seeing the foreigner gain the upper hand--and threw a mighty roundkick.   
It struck home with Armenia's face, knocking her to one side, but still not down, as she had hoped. Callista refused to give up. She had the woman right where she wanted her. _Just one more blow, and-- _  
--even as she thought this, she swung a punch for the face, hoping that it would be strong enough to knock Armenia down. But, much to her dismay, the woman managed to knock the blow to the right, far away from its target. With one arm, she reached forth, snatched Callista by the neck, and snaked her arm around her throat, cutting off her air supply.   
The crowd's boos rapidly changed into cheers again. Several times, Callista heard the words, "Kill her, Armenia! Kill her!" One hand instinctively went up to try to pry the arm loose from her throat, but she knew it would do no good. As the air left her lungs, and she started to choke, Callista used her remaining strength to shove her entire body back. Armenia was taken by surprise, and their added momentum sent them stumbling back into one of the surrounding poles. Armenia's back struck the pole so hard that they both felt it shudder and almost topple down. Her grip on Callista's throat remained on, but not as tight as before.   
_Perfect_, Callista thought, as she brought one elbow back and smashed it as hard as she could into Armenia's gut. The woman was unprepared for the blow, and it hurt. A lot. Her arm lost its grip on her throat, and Callista snatched the woman's arm with both hands, and twisted it back so hard that she almost snapped the bone in half. Armenia let out a high-pitched scream of pain, and fell victim to Callista's elbow, which hit her dead-on in the face, leaving her nose a bloody mess.   
With her opponent severely weakened, Callista grabbed her by the arm she had almost broken, and threw her facedown on the ground. Finally, after what seemed like hours of fighting--although, most likely, they had only been battling for ten or so minutes--Callista had Armenia on the ground, right where she wanted her. She felt Armenia try to squirm away, so she snatched her by the other arm and twisted back with all her might, almost dislocating her entire shoulder. The woman cried out as she was held still, unable to do anything more than struggle fruitlessly under Callista's grip. The specators stood from their seats, cursing Callista for her victory. But she ignored them, and held her grip on Armenia. They could curse her, and boo her, and throw rotten food at her for all she cared.   
It didn't matter anymore. All that mattered now was that she had succeeded. Slowly, she began counting down to one. "Ten, nine, eight, seven..."   
"...six, five, four..." she whispered. By now, the crowd had grown furious with her. Even as Callista counted down, several began throwing more objects at her. Callista tried to ignore, even though a lot of it managed to find its target. _Just keep counting down,_ she thought. _Only a few more seconds left until..._   
Before she could finish her train of thought, a large stone smacked full force into the back of her head. Hard. Almost immediately, a blinding flash of pain exploded in her skull, accompanied by a loud ringing in her ears. Disorientation began to cloud her mind, and as she did so, she released her hold on Armenia.   
A second had barely passed before Armenia's fist smashed into her face, breaking open her nose, sending a fresh flow of blood into her already- bleeding mouth. Callista's equilibrium was shot, and Armenia grabbed her by one arm and threw her down across from her, having gained the uppper hand in a matter of seconds. Before Callista could get up--_I need to get up _ she thought. _I need to keep fighting_--Armenia was sitting on her belly, a fierce snarl on her bloody face.   
Without wasting a breath, she punched Callista hard in the face. And again. And again. Amidst the flurry of blows, Callista somehow found the strength to knock Armenia off of her, sending the warrior sprawling back on the ground. Unfortunately, Callista was in so much pain that she couldn't even use this moment to her advantage. Rising weakly to her feet, she turned and face Armenia, who likewise was standing back up, more than willing to continue the fight. The two women were a bleeding mess. Callista noted that one of Armenia's punches had split open a deep gash on her forehead. The other woman's ponytail was long gone, her hair a tangled mess over her shoulders. Both seemed ready to drop, but neither did.   
"What's the matter, Callista?" Armenia said, her fists held out in front of her. "You almost had me there. What happened?"   
"Your people are what happened," Callista shot back, recalling the stone that had been thrown against her head. "Isn't that cheating?"   
Armenia smiled and shook her head. "Who said anything about the audience not interfering?" she pointed out. "Good thing I'm the one they hold in high regard."   
The conversation over, the women continued fighting. Callista had still not recovered from her recent wounds, and therefore was unable to go on the offensive. Still, she had enough strength left to evade and block Armenia's numerous blows, although it would not last for much longer. She had to find a way to keep this woman on the ground--and fast. She finally found the opportunity moments later. Armenia spun and delivered a back-kick for the lower portion of the stomach. Callista anticipated the attack and snatched the woman's booted foot in mid-kick, just inches away from her gut, and shoved with all her might. If she was lucky, it would be enough to send the woman stumbling down-- But as before, Armenia was able to turn her fall into a flip that landed her unharmed on her feet. Callista was spent. She had used her last reservoir of strength in that last attack, hoping against hope that it would work.   
But she had failed, and now she had almost no fight left in her. Armenia strode forth and sent a roundhouse kick to the face, connecting nicely with Callista's jaw. The blow knocked loose one of her molars, and she cried as out Armenia followed it with a kick to the heel, sweeping her feet off the ground. Callista landed back first on the moon-shaped drawing, staring up at the sky, on the verge of unconsciousness.   
"Nice try, Callista," Armenia said as she stood over the downed woman. "Let's see if you can dodge this." As she said this, she leaped high into the air and brought her left fist down, aiming it straight for the chest. The force of the blow was so strong that it could shatter Callista's entire ribcage and pierce her heart. Callista cursed and rolled away with what little energy she had left in her, narrowly avoiding the blow. A mini-storm of dirt flew into the air as Armenia's fist hit the ground, like a small version of the ones you would see on Tatooine. Callista groaned as she slowly rose, wondering why she was even bothering. Armenia had clearly won the battle; she was only delaying the inevitable...   
Armenia was upon her in seconds, like a vicious krayt dragon about to swallow a helpless bantha. Callista threw an extremely weak kick, which the woman easily blocked. She knocked her foot aside so hard that Callista was spun around, her back turned to her opponent. That was the worst thing she could ever do in a fight. She felt the Kerash's arm slither around her neck again, tightening. Something hard struck her in the spine--Armenia's elbow. Callista felt an avalanche of pain rip through her back, and for a brief moment, she was horrified that the woman had broken her spine in two. Armenia elbowed her again, hitting the same area twice. Callista doubled over in pain, and was unable to fight as her opponent shoved her forward, across the battle area, and right into another one of the poles.   
Her face smacked against the pole first, splitting open a long cut on her chin. She fell to her knees, just wishing that Armenia would get it over with and defeat her as quickly as possible.   
But Armenia was not willing to let her go down so easily. As Callista laid there, helpless and bloody, she sent her fist flying into the small of her back, hitting with enough force to bruise. Once, twice, three times she struck her, again and again. Finally, Armenia delivered the killing blow, by sending her knee into Callista's back and pressing, hard as she could. The entire top half of Callista's body was pressed against the pole, and kept tightening. She realized with horror that Armenia was intending to break her spine, to render her incapable of moving.   
To paralyze her.   
Callista choked as her face and chest was pinned against the pole. She had absolutely no strength left, could not fight anymore. She felt the woman's strong knee press harder and harder against her spinal cord. A few more seconds, and it would give in... Callista's eyes weakly went over to Hope, who watched the gruesome display with horror. _Mommy! _she heard her call._ Don't let her do that to you! Get up and fight her. I know you can...   
_Not even Hope's sweet words could muster any strength or resolve in Callista. Sadly, she sent a final thought to her daughter. _I'm sorry, my dear. I'm sorry I failed you..._ Suddenly, just as her spine was about to snap in two, Armenia let go. Her knee moved away, as did the pressure on Callista's back. She sank to the ground, curled up in a fetal position, weakened, bloodied, bruised, the pain in her back tremendous, and tired, but still able to move. She managed to find enough strength to look up. Armenia was staring down at her, sneering. "Come on, Callista," she taunted. "Get up. You still have ten seconds left."   
Callista's eyes widened as she remembered the ten-second rule. Perhaps if she could somehow get back up, she might be able to win this next round...   
Slowly, she rose to one knee.  
"Come on, Mommy, get up!" Hope begged. "I know you can!"   
"Yeah, Mommy, get up," Armenia said, mocking Hope's voice. "Don't you want to save your precious children from the big, bad Kerash?"   
Callista started to get up--Almost there, you can do it--she collapsed back onto her knee. The crowd began to chant, "TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN..."   
"Mommy, come on!" Hope shouted, her voice barely heard due to the chorus of spectators. "Please, Mommy!"   
"...SIX, FIVE, FOUR..."   
By now, Callista had gotten up on one foot. Almost there, almost there, almost there...   
"...THREE, TWO, ONE!!!"   
No sooner was the chanting finished did Callista stand up on both feet. The crowd erupted in a series of cheers, having finished the countdown before the foreigner had managed to stand completely up. Armenia was the victor. The Kerash woman shook her head in mock-disappointment.   
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Sorry, Callista, time's up." At this point, the leader of the Semaj council stood once again. "The winner of the duel is Armenia of the Kerash." The cheers were amplified even more as the victor was announced. Callista stood there, her legs wobbling, about to give in again. She couldn't believe this. She had managed to get back up, and it didn't count because she was behind by one second?   
Armenia smiled at her loyal followers before turning back to Callista. "Sorry, dear," was all she said, and her foot shot right into Callista's stomach. Callista bent over, grunting at the unexpected attack. She began to vomit blood from her mouth, just as Armenia delivered the final blow: an extremely powerful front-kick to the mouth that sent Callista flailing back to the ground, soundly defeated. With her opponent permanently down, Armenia faced the audience and held one blood-soaked fist high into the air. "FOR ARAK!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.   
The crowd cheered after her declaration, and soon began chanting, "ARAK! ARAK! ARAK! ARAK! ARAK!" The last thing Callista saw was Hope running toward her before   
the world became consumed by the night...  
  
Hope did not even bother to conceal the utter horror she felt as she witnessed the brutal fight between her mother and Armenia draw to a gruesome close. She watched, completely helpless, unable to do anything--_ Some Jedi I turned out to be, _she thought--as Armenia threw a kick into Mommy's face. Blood spurted in the air, and her mother tottered back, slow, slowly falling to the ground. It was then that Hope started running. Anakin cried out in surprise and called for her to come back. The Kerash warriors joined in, demanding that she stop. She ignored them all, ignored the ear-shattering cheers that resonated through the colosseum as the battle ended, ignored her own conscience, warning her away. All she wanted was her mother.   
She ran to Mommy's side, and held her head in her lap, sobs racking her little body. Mommy's face was a mass of blood, lacerations, and torn flesh. It looked as if someone had smashed her against a duracrete wall. She was barely breathing.   
"Oh, Mommy..." Hope choked, her tears dripping onto Mommy's face. Mommy's eyes fluttered open, and, despite all the injuries inflicted upon her in the fight, managed a smile for her frightened daughter. "Hope," she whispered, blood still running down her nose and mouth. Hope even saw a trickle of blood puddling in the corner of her left eye. "Hope, I'm so sorry..."   
Hope shook her head to quiet her down. "No, Mommy, I'm sorry," she said, releasing everything she had been bottling up ever since her kidnapping. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't went to the Underworld, none of this would've happened. If I could go back in time and..." She sobbed as she kissed Mommy's forehead, over and over again. "Mommy, I'm sorry. I love you. I love you so much."   
Mommy smiled as her fingers stroked Hope's hair. "And I love you," she said weakly. Suddenly, several strong hands grabbed at Hope and pulled her away from her mother.   
"No!" Hope screamed as she struggled. "Let go of me! I want to see my Mommy!" "Enough!" a voice snapped to one side. Hope turned her head to see Armenia glaring emerald daggers down at her. "You know what happens now, Hope. Your mother lost the fight. Therfore, you and the boy will be taken to the Temple of Arak, where we shall prepare you for the Coming of the Goddess."   
"What'll happen to Mommy?" Hope asked fearfully, looking over at her mother's crumpled form. She looked more helpless than she had ever seen her before... Armenia looked over at another Kerash who stood beside her.   
"Purify her," she commanded.   
The realization quickly slapped Hope in the face, and she struggled against her captors, trying with all her might to get to her Mommy before they hurt. "No! You can't do that to her!"   
"Too late," Armenia snapped. "Take her and the boy away."   
"Wait!" Mommy cried out as she rose to her hands and knees. "Let me say goodbye to my daughter. Please, I'm begging you--"   
"You have no right to ask that!" the white-skinned woman said, as the Kerash took Hope away.   
"Hope!" Mommy called out, reaching out with one hand, as if she was calling upon the Force to bring her child back to her. "Please, let me talk to her! Let me say goodbye to her!"   
"Mommy!" Hope shrieked, her high-pitched wail completely swallowed up by the din of the audience. She saw Armenia and several other Kerash pick Mommy up and drag her away. She had lost consciousness again, and was unable to fight as they led her out of the arena. Hope tried to squirm free, but her captors were too strong. "Mommy! Mommy, don't leave me! DON'T LEAVE ME! MOMMY! MOMMY!" Something hard smacked into the side of her head, and she fell into darkness.  
  
The dungeon the Kerash had thrown Callista into was dark and foul-smelling, like rotting corpses, and through the dim lighting that permeated through the cracks in the ceiling--for the dungeon was underground--she could just barely make out the outline of several lifeless shapes in the dungeon. Some were sprawled lifelessly on the ground, the skin completely ripped from their bodies; others were chained to the walls, their mouths wide open with frozen terror and agony.   
Callista laid her back against the wall of the large room, beginning to feel the aftereffects of the fight. Armenia had given her a pretty bad beating; she was lucky to have survived that. What went wrong for her? Callista had been able to defeat far more powerful enemies in the past. Anya and her band of Nightsisters immediately sprung to mind. Armenia wasn't even Force-sensitive. How could she have bested a Jedi Knight. Even though she was unable to use the Force in the fight, Callista should have been able to win... And that's when it hit her. Her pride had caused her to lose. She remembered the old saying: Pride comes before a fall. She had been so confident in her own abilities, so sure of her victory, that she was unprepared when Armenia had quickly snatched the upper hand. Because of her pride, Hope and Anakin were still prisoners on this planet. No doubt the Kerash had already taken them to Arak's temple, where they would do Force only knows what to them.   
_Luke_, she called out weakly through the Force. _Luke, where are you...  
_But she knew her husband wouldn't hear her. The fight had taken its toll on her, sapped most of her strength, and her message couldn't even get past the outskirts of the system. She had wait for a few more hour, rest for a while, and then--   
The door to the dungeon suddenly opened, creating a loud bang that echoed throughout the room. Callista turned her head, still remaining on the ground, to see a trio of guards sauntering her way. All three of them were holding whips.   
She suddenly had a bad feeling about this.  
Three menacing shadows loomed over her as the guards glared down with predator eyes. "Stand her up," one of them said. The other two obliged, lifting Callista to her feet from under the arms. She made no effort to fight back; it would be useless, and would end her up in a worse situation than before. She faced the leader of the guards, a small flicker of resistance shining in her gray eyes.  
"What do you want?" she demanded, her voice slightly slurred.   
The guard smiled, exposing yellow-stained teeth. "Armenia has requested that you be purified. This is going to take a while--and really going to hurt."   
Callista only nodded, as if accepting this without putting up any resistance. The other two maintained a bruising grip on her arms, holding her as still as a statue. Then, without another word uttered, the leader struck her across the face. The blow hurt, increased by ten times, considering that the man was wearing an armored glove on his hand. Callista's head snapped to her left as a new trail of blood splattered on the wall behind her. Had the guards not been holding her, she would have collapsed and passed out.   
Unfortuantely, they were not going to let her get off that easy. And from there, the beating continued. It lasted for over two hours--maybe three; when you're being beaten within an inch of your life, time is meaningless to you. The guards alternated between using their fists to chaining Callista on the wall and slashing their whips across her back, leaving long, bloody gashes crawling up and down her flesh. They stripped her of her torn clothing, making each blow hurt even more. At first, the pain was excruciating.   
Callista had never felt this much pain in her life; even her fight with Armenia looked tame in comparison.   
Soon, though, her entire body grew numb from the numerous blows she received, and it no longer hurt. Not even the whips that lashed her in the face aroused a reaction from her. Throughout this, she tried to stay strong. She used the Force to sustain herself for as long as possible, which became harder and harder with each passing minute. She thought of Hope, and Anakin, and Luke, her main reasons for continuing to live her life. She clung to thoughts of her family, and how she longed to hold them in her arms again...and that was what kept her alive.   
Eventually, after almost an eternity of agony and suffering, a grateful blanket of darkness drove her into oblivion, and Callista knew no more.   
The waves of Chad sang sweetly in her ears, as sweet as the songs of the cy'eens that populated the salty oceans. Callista stood on the shore of her home, dressed in a white gown she had never seen before, a cool, soothing wind blowing her hair around her shoulders and back. No trace of the beating she had received from the Kerash showed on her skin. It was as if it had never happened, like it was all just one long nightmare. And she had now just woken up...   
"Why am I here?" Callista found herself asking, her voice carrying across the sea. It brought a deep sense of emptiness in her, a feeling she often felt when she had lived here as a child. "Why do I keep coming here?"   
"That's for you to decide," a deep, grave voice replied, directly behind her. Callista recognized the voice almost as soon as the words were spoken. It belonged to a man she had not seen for a long time, the man who had trained her to become a Jedi Knight. "Master?" she said, turning to find herself staring into the bearded face of Djinn Altis. "Is that really you?"   
Djinn nodded. "It is, my child." With one hand--dry and wrinkled with old age--he stroked the side of her pale cheek. "You look so beautiful, Callista."   
"You knew, didn't you?" she suddenly asked, accusation in her voice. "You knew it was Kara who gave me my powers back. And you tried to warn me about it..." She remembered seeing his face in her mirror on Yavin 4, sadness reflecting off his face. That had been such a long time ago...   
The Jedi Master sadly nodded, withdrawing his hand. "I knew."   
"But...why didn't you tell me?" "The spirits of the dead cannot interfere with the world of the living," Djinn explained, his eyes floating toward the crashing blue waves, bathed in purplish-orange under the evening sky. "Obi-Wan was unable to tell Luke of the true identity of his father. He had to find out for himself. I knew that you would realize the truth sooner or later."   
Callista sighed, her hand going up to her forehead, as if she had just acquired a massive headache. "I don't know what to do, Master," she said. "These Kerash...they're so powerful. If they manage to succeed in bringing Arak into our universe, they will have won, and...I just don't know how to stop them."   
"Let the Force guide you, my child," Djinn said softly. "Arak is indeed powerful, but everything has a weakness. You just need to find out what the Kerash's weakness is."   
"But how can I do that?" Callista demanded. "I'm lost! I need your help, Master..."   
"I cannot interefere," Djinn said. "You are a Jedi now, Callista. I have trained you well, and you must now learn to win your own battles. Trust your feelings. Let the light side of the Force flow through you."   
He brought his hand up, lightly touching her forehead. "I sense much darkness in you now. If you continue down the road you've already taken, you will become its slave. Everything you have learned will be for naught. How else do you explain these dreams you have been having? Your mother's death? The death of your unborn child? Why do you think this has happened?"  
Callista was unable to control her tears as she quietly wept, the truth finally sinking in. "I'm so scared, Master..." she whispered.   
Djinn nodded sadly. "I understand that. We all experience fear at some point in our lives. It is what makes us mortal." His hands rested upon her shoulders, lending her silent support. "Look into my eyes, Callista."   
She did.   
"I know you can do this. You can be strong." And she knew he meant every word he said.   
Callista sniffled, the tears drying on her face. "I'm ready," she finally said.   
Djinn nodded. "Then you must wake up..."   
The dreamscape slowly was consumed by a bright light...   
  
Callista groaned as she awoke, after what seemed like weeks of sleeping. A powerful rush of pain followed immediately afterwards, and she was unable to refrain from gasping. She laid her head back, and ended up striking it against...a pillow? In the dungeon?   
Callista's eyes scrutinized her surroundings. She was no longer in the dungeon, but in a small hut. The prison hut she, Hope, and Anakin had been in before her fight with Armenia. The windows were closed, trapping her in a soothing blanket of darkness. She was lying in a hay-stuffed bed, bandages wrapped around her wounds. The pain was still great, but she was no longer bleeding.   
"H-How did I get here?" she stammered.   
"I brought you here," a young woman said as she entered the hut. "How do you feel?"   
Callista moaned. "Like I just got hit by a landspeeder. No, strike that--"   
"Well, seeing that you're making jokes now, I would assume that you feel better," the woman said, as she dipped a clean rag into a bowl of water. She looked no more than eighteen or nineteen years old, with a flowing cascade of reddish-brown hair, and almond-shaped blue eyes. "You're lucky to have survived the purification. Few people who undergo it ever do."   
"Yeah," Callista snorted. "I feel lucky too."   
The woman chuckled as she went over to Callista's side and pressed the wet rag firmly against the cut on her forehead. "There, that'll keep the swelling down," she said.   
"I appreciate your helping me," Callista said sincerely, "but you didn't have to." "You're right, I didn't," the girl replied. "But I'm like the doctor here in Semaj. I treat people's wounds--including of the ones who survive the purifying. Would you like something to eat?"   
Callista nodded, realizing for the first time that she hadn't eaten in days. "I'll give you some soup as soon as I'm done here. I saw you fighting Armenia. You gave her a pretty good beating...before she turned the tables on you."   
"Thanks," Callista replied with a smile. It did feel good when she had had Armenia in that armlock...   
"My name is Emna," the girl said as she walked over to a small fire she had made in the hut, where an iron pot was heating over it.   
"You just relax and rest. You'll be here for at least a few more days until you're fully recovered." Callista nodded gratefully, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep again.  
  
Llia stood inside the small hut that she called home, which she had seen for almost a year now. The inside of the hut was unkempt and dirty, and she had not gotten around to cleaning it up. Armenia paced in front of the little girl, two fingers held up to her chin, as if she was deep in thought. Everyone once in a while, her emerald eyes would dart down to Llia, blazing with far more malevolence and anger than any words in the galaxy could convey. Llia was scared, and she had a reason to be. Armenia clearly was not happy with her, for she had not spoken to her ever since she had won the fight in the arena. For the longest amount of time, she stood there, her shoulders hunched, her eyes sunken, flinching every time Armenia made a sudden move, fearful that she would hit her, as she had often done in the past when she was being naughty.   
Armenia finally stopped pacing, and turned to face Llia, her face softening up somewhat, as if she was starting to show a little more compassion and understanding toward the little girl.   
And struck her acoss the face.   
It wasn't a slap, as most parents give their children whenever they misbehaved. This was a full-on punch, as hard as any of the blows she gave Callista in the arena. Llia was thrown back against the wall behind her, trying to relearn how to breathe. She could feel a light trickle of blood seep from both corners of her mouth. She was not going to cry...She was not going to cry...   
"It was you who told Skywalker about the right of challenge, wasn't it?" Armenia snapped as she closed in on the vulnernable child, her cape flapping behind her. Llia looked away from her cousin, wishing for the millionth time that her sister was here... She screamed as Armenia snatched a handful of her hair and yanked back to her left. Some of the strands were torn off, causing Llia to start crying. She couldn't help it. She knew she would look stupid in front of Armenia, but a part of her didn't care anymore.   
"Answer me when I ask you a question, you worthless little bitch!" the older woman shouted in her face, sending tremors of paralyzing terror through Llia's body. She could feel Armenia's spittle land on her bloodied face, slowly dripping down her chin. But she feared that if she tried to wipe it off, Armenia would only become angrier.   
"Yes," she managed to choke out through the tears. "I'm sorry, Armenia. But that was _her_ right!"   
Armenia tightened her grip on the girl's hair, eliciting another pained gasp from her. "You are such a fool. You almost ruined everything. Do you have any idea what would have happened if Skywalker had won that fight? We would have had no choice but to free her _and_ the children, thus depriving us of the Bond needed to bring Arak into our world."   
Llia thought of little Hope at that moment, the guilt she felt of having gotten her into this mess..."They don't deserve this, Armenia," she said defiantly. "They don't deserve to die!"   
Armenia shook her head in disgust. "You still don't understand, do you? To be sacrificed for the good of the Goddess is the highest honor a mortal can aspire to. Hope and Anakin should be _proud_ of themselves. Yes, to bring Arak into our universe requires the death of the Bond, but in the end, everyone will benefit from this. Don't you see that?" Llia didn't want to drag this arguement any further than necessary, so she nodded. "I see," she muttered.   
"Good." Armenia released her hold on Llia's hair. "Now, I want you to clean this mess up. And I don't want to see your face again for the rest of the day, do you understand? I am very disappointed in you, Llia. If you so much as look at me, I will personally purify you." Llia nodded again, not even listening. "Understood."   
Armenia nodded, and left the hut. Once she was gone, Llia wiped the blood from her mouth, and the tears from her eyes. She was about ready to fall apart. _Strong_, she kept telling herself. _I have to be strong. Armenia's gone too far this time_...   
Her mind made up, Llia dashed out of the cabin. Making sure the coast was clear--most of the villagers were at the colosseum, witnessing another battle between master and slave--she ran past the guards posted at the front gate and barreled into the jungle that surrounded her village.   
She had to get to the Temple of Arak...before it was too late.  
  
Cray had been locked up in her detention cell for far too long. A day or two, at least. Armenia has said that she would melt the droid into scrap within twenty-four hours...and still no one had come. Perhaps they had forgotten about her. Considering that they were most likely preparing for the coming of Arak, she would definitely be pretty low on their list of things to do.   
Cray was barely able to bottle up the rage she was feeling at this point. These people--the people she had once been allied with, the people she thought she could trust with her life--had been deceiving her all along. They had her think she was their leader, when in reality, she was nothing more than a pawn in their little game. They had told her she was human, had implanted memories that never even happened. And the memories still felt real. She could still see herself in that cramped escape pod, watching as the _Eye of Palpatine_ exploded into flames and gas, with her lover still trapped inside...   
Cray finally let it all out. With a growl of desperation and fury escaping her red lips, she smacked her fist as hard as she could into the cold, dull wall of the room, putting her fist completely through the durasteel, displaying her amazing droid strength. Had she been human, an act like that would have shattered every bone in her hand. And that's when it dawned on her. If all the Kerash were really preparing for the Ritual of the Coming...then that meant no one was left on the _Fallen Moon_.   
Meaning no one was there to watch over her. And that meant no one would notice if she escaped her cell.   
Cray sighed and slapped herself on the forehead. "Cray Mingla, you are such an idiot!" she said. She had just spent over forty-eight hours rotting in this room, when she could have easily escaped as soon as they locked her in there. Armenia must have been pretty confident that Cray wouldn't dare make an escape attempt. Either that, or she was just plain dumb. Cray pried her fist loose from the hole in the wall and marched over to the door that led into the corridor of the detention bay. The door was about two or three feet of durasteel, so strong that it was resistant to most blasters. But an HRD was far stronger than any blaster.   
Cray allowed herself to smile--it had been a long, long time since she had genuinely smiled, at least since..._Oh, wait, that memory wasn't real..._--as she kicked one foot against the door, using about half as much power as she had used when hitting the wall. Almost immediately, the door gave in, releasing Cray from her prison at last.   
"Perfect!" Cray exclaimed, already forming her next move as she left the room and ran down the long, narrow corridor. She knew she couldn't defeat the Kerash on her own. And Callista needed help.   
She would take the _Shapeshifter_--which was hopefully still in the hangar bay--and find Luke Skywalker as quickly as possible. He and the rest of the Republic needed to know about the Kerash before they became too powerful a threat. And then she remembered: Coruscant had undergone a massive evacuation when she and Callista had left, due to Xizor's unexpected return from the dead. Where would they have gone, then? To the outer edges of the system? It was worth a shot.   
Luckily, Cray encountered no resistance between the detention area and the docking bay. _Thank the Force for stupid bad guys,_ she thought whimsically to herself.   
When she finally reached her destination--not even out of breath--the _Shapeshifter_ was the only ship remaining, unattended to. This was almost too good to be true. At any moment, Cray was expecting something bad to happen. Like an alarm would go off as soon as she boarded the _Shapeshifter_. Or Armenia would appear out of nowhere. But nothing happened.   
Without missing a beat, Cray dashed across the cavernous chamber with amazingly fast speed and entered the _Shapeshifter_. She seated herself in the pilot's chair and strapped on her crash webbing. As she powered up the ship's sublight engines, she hoped that Callista was all right.   
The _Shapeshifter _lifted off and soared toward the entrance to the hangar bay. Apparently, the entrance had been sealed shut, preventing any ship from leaving the _Fallen Moon_. Cray armed the _Shapeshifter_'s weapons and fired several volleys, blasting a hole open that was large enough for the small freighter to slip through. The Shapeshifter soared off into the morning sky, undetected by any of the Kerash.   
"So long, suckers!" Cray cheered, as she went into lightspeed.  
  
The small group of Jedi, after traveling for a little over forty minutes in the harsh, humid jungle, stopped within twenty feet of the Imperial base. With Luke leading the group, they took refuge behind a cluster of bushes near the entrance to the outpost, waiting to see if any stormtroopers would arrive and start shooting. Much to their surprise, no one came. "That's odd," Luke said, his eyes fixated on the closed doorway that led into the base. Normally, the Imperials would have been able to detect them five kilometers away. Maybe their post was slacking off... Luke closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force, sending across the entire Imperial base, looking for any signs of life. He was able to feel the life forces of over dozens of various life-forms, small animals that had made their homes inside the enormous complex. But no humans. Something didn't feel right about this.   
"The Imperials should have been all over us by now," Kam pointed out, stepping out of his hiding place, now in full view of anything that might be watching. Still, there was no reaction from the base. No stormtroopers, no alarms, no hidden blaster cannons. It was as if the entire base was abandoned.   
"I'm going to check it out," Luke said, turning to everyone else gathered there. "Everyone, stay here." The Jedi seemed a bit miffed about his decision--particularly Leanna--but obeyed. Luke stepped from behind the bushes and strode over to the durasteel doorway. He knew that to open it the easy way was to enter the code needed to unlock. But since he didn't know what the code was...   
Luke's lightsaber came to life with a snap-hiss, easily cutting through the door. The durasteel melted into slag at the saber's touch, and fell apart within seconds, providing the Jedi Master with a way into the base. A storm of dust burst from the open doorway. Luke shielded his eyes just in time to prevent from being blinded. The dust tasted old and stale in his nostrils, causing him to sneeze. Once it had cleared down, her lowered his arm from his face and peeked into the yawning darkness inside. Even after all the commotion, no one came to engage him. No alarms burst from the speakers that were built into the walls. Just an uncomfortable silence.   
Taking a deep breath, Luke stepped into the base. The corridor was dark, like the abandoned streets of the lower levels of Coruscant. The only light came from the sunlight streaming through the open doorway. Dust and cobwebs had collected on the floor and walls, which meant that no one had been inside this base for quite some time. As Luke's eyes scanned the interior of the base, he saw a pair of blaster cannons--now rusted to the core and out of use--built within the ceiling. Had they still been operational, they would have fired upon him as soon as he had cut the door down. Bits and pieces of once-white stormtrooper armor, now grayish-brown, was strewn across the floor like garbage.   
Luke's fears were confirmed. The Imperials had abandoned this outpost a long time ago, and obviously never came back. Leanna Kai had been wrong; this base was no longer in use.  
Which meant that Boba Fett had never come here after all. Which meant that they wouldn't be able to find him. Which meant that they would never find out where Xizor was...and Callista and Hope. Luke felt his heart sink as the truth finally hit him brutally in the face. He had been lead on a wild goose chase, had wasted his time over nothing. Anger boiled in his blood as he realized that Leanna had misled him...   
_No,_ he thought. How could she have known the base was abandoned? Besides, since she obviously has a score to settle with Fett, why would she lie about it? No, this is no one's fault... But what about Callista and Hope? For the first time, Luke noticed how musty and decayed the inside of the base smelled. The stench was so powerful that he felt like he was about to pass out. He needed some fresh air.   
As he turned to leave, he felt something warm and wet on his hands. Sweat, he thought as he wiped his hands on his pants, then held them up in the light to see if he had gotten it all off-- --and saw blood streaming from deep wounds in his skin. Luke was barely able to stifle a cry as he stared at his hands, horrified. The scars he had received from his crucifixion on Dathomir had suddenly reopened. Even as he stood there, overcome by a paralyzing rush of fear, blood was slowly trickling into the sleeves of his shirt and to the floor. As he looked up, fire suddenly surrounded him in a fiery circle of death. Red, orange, and yellow flames from the conflagration struck at him from all sides, sending burning waves of pain through his body.   
Luke screamed as he fell to his knees, the palms of his hands still oozing blood. And when he looked up, he saw a figure come through the inferno.   
Callista.   
She gazed down at him with large, sad gray eyes. Luke saw blood streaming down her arms, from her hands as well.   
"I'm sorry, Luke," she said in a cold, haunting voice. "I couldn't stop her..." The blood loss finally caught up with him, and Luke fell to the ground, his cheek splitting open as he landed. He barely even felt it as darkness took over his eyes...  
  
"When do you think they'll be back?" Tionne asked as she and Kyp stood outside the _Millennium Falcon._ The sun shone brightly above them, showering the two Jedi with its merciless heat. Already, both were practically bathing in their own sweat.   
Kyp shrugged. "I'm not sure. It'll probably take a while, considering that it's an Imperial base."   
"Do you think Fett's with them right now?" Tionne asked, her mother-of- pearl eyes gazing at the outpost far, far away from the Jrinjan Plateau.   
"Hopefully," the young man replied. "Are you thirsty?"   
Tionne nodded. "Yeah. This place is so hot, it makes Yavin 4 feel as cold as Belsavis."   
Kyp chuckled at his friend's joke. "I'll get some water, then. I'll be back in a few minutes." He rushed up the ramp into the _Falcon_ to get the bottle of water he had packed for their trip.   
As Tionne waited, she continued staring at the faraway base. For some reason, she wasn't able to sense anyone inside the base--   
The tip of a blaster rifle suddenly poked her hard in the back, causing Tionne to yelp in surprise. "Don't move."  
  
Leia had chosen the uninhabited world of Knossos for the meeting between the Verpine Hive Queen and the Barabel king. It would take place in the war room of the Galactic Voyager, where the peace treaty would hopefully be signed. If Leia did everything right, it should be easy. However, she was aware of the enormous risk she was taking. Having the leaders of both warring races in the same room could mean disaster for one or both sides. And that would only serve to escalate the war between the Verpines and the Barabels. But she knew she also had an advantage. The Barabels held a high amount of respect for Jedi Knights. And seeing that Leia was Force-sensitive, the king of Barab 1--the Barabel homeworld--would not dare do anything hostile in her presence.   
At least, she hoped not. Shortly after meeting with the Hive Queen on Taragoth, Leia had contacted Mornoch, the leader of the Barabel race, and asked for him to meet with the Verpine Queen and end this pointless war once and for all. As expected, Mornoch was none too happy about it, and it took a good amount of convincing from Leia, but he finally gave in and arrived on the _Galactic Voyager_ on his own personal ship. He would arrive at the war room within minutes.   
As she waited for King Mornoch to arrive, she stood next to Han--their hands intertwined, showing their deep love and caring for each other--as they viewed the planet of Knosses through the massive viewport in the war room. The Hive Queen sat at the large, circular table in the middle of the chamber, where the commanders of the New Republic fleet would often meet to discuss battle strategies, slurping a bowl of fish-frogs through her mandibles.   
Knossos was such a beautiful world, Leia observed. It was small, smaller than even Yavin 4, and mostly consisted of greenish-purple plains and blue oceans. The weather was always pleasant, never too hot or too cold, and fluffy white clouds always decorated the sky. It was a wonder no one lived on that planet. In some ways, it reminded Leia of her long-gone homeworld of Alderaan.   
She rested her head on Han's shoulder, who lent her silent support. Suddenly, the door to the war room slid open, and in stepped King Mornoch, dressed in his finest ceremonial robes.  
"Madame Chief of State," he acknowledged with a respecful bow.   
Leia turned her head and returned the greeting with a simple nod. Mornoch's appearance was typical of Barabels: greenish-black reptilian skin, bloodshot red-orange eyes, and a easily irritable personality. Still, he had agreed to come, which was all that mattered.   
"Welcome, King Mornoch," Leia said, gesturing to one of the chairs surrounding the table. "Please, have a seat."   
Mornoch nodded, and his eyes fell upon the Hive Queen, a threatening hiss escaping his black, cold-blooded lips. The Hive Queen looked up from her snack and clacked her pincers together in response--the Verpine equivalent of barely controlled anger. The Barabel sat down in the chair farthest away from the Hive Queen. As Leia prepared to sit down herself, Han leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Go get 'em, champ." Leia's eyes met her husband's, and she gave him a small grin. They sat together, facing the leaders of both races, who stared uneasily at each other. Leia could practically taste the tension that hung in the air. Hopefully, things would only start to improve from here. "I appreciate you both coming here," Leia began, folding her hands together. "I know how difficult this is for the both of you, but this is the first major step in ending this terrible war that has been going on--"   
"Skip the introduction, and get on with it," Mornoch rudely interrupted, his eyes repeatedly flashing toward the Hive Queen. "I have more important things to do...like selling freeze-dried Verpine body parts to the Kubaz."   
The Hive Queen immediately stood, her shadow completely dwarfing the reptilian monarch. "You dare to speak of my people in such a manner!" she said, voice barely understandable. "Perhaps you need to be taught a lesson."   
Leia held her hands up to quell the fighting. "Enough of this! Look, I know that peace between you may sound impossible. I mean, you have been fighting for at least fifteen years. But you have to listen to me when I say that it must stop now. I'm sure you're both aware of the crisis on Coruscant."   
Mornoch and the Hive Queen nodded in unison. "I apologize for the loss of the Republic's capital," Mornoch said. "My warriors and I will be ready to take it back from Black Sun in your name, Madame Chief of State, once we are through slaughtering the rest of the weakling Verpines--"   
"I have had enough of this!" the Hive Queen snapped, her voice monstrous and echoing. "Madame Chief of State, you cannot possibly be serious about this peace treaty. A merciless killer such as him--" She gestured at Mornoch with one clawed pincer--"doesn't even know what 'peace' really means."   
"I know fully well what 'peace' is, you bug-eyed freak!" Mornoch shot back, his eyes red with rage. "It means achieving victory by any means possible."   
"No, it doesn't," Leia said calmly, drawing upon the Force to give herself strength. "I have a question for the both of you: why do you two fight?"   
The Hive Queen and Mornoch turned to her, surprised by her question.   
"Well? Why do you?" The Hive Queen's mandibles clacked together, unable to answer the question.   
The Barabel king looked down at his boots, before replying in a tone so acrid that it could melt lead, "Because that conniving, insectoid whore murdered my wife and son when her fleet attacked Alater-Ka. The entire city was laid to waste by her B-wing bombers; thousands of innocent people lost their lives...including my family!"   
"They deserved to die!" the Hive Queen snarled, her jaws clacking together even faster. "Your entire race is nothing more than a mass of killing machines, who need to be destroyed before they cause any further damage to my people. And may I remind you that the reason I ordered the bombing of Alater-Ka was because you personally oversaw the massacre of the Hive Nest. Do you have any idea how many children I lost in that attack? Children I myself created!"   
The Hive Queen's comments seemed to anger Mornoch even further, if that was possible. Leia chose this moment to step in before things became even more heated. "You both have suffered and lost," she explained. "Believe me, I know how that feels. I--"   
"Madame," Mornoch said, his voice softer than before. "You know that I respect you more than any other individual in the Republic. I admire you for all the things you have done in your continuing struggle against the Empire. But you do not, and I repeat, do not know what it feels like to lose someone close to your heart. You don't know what it's like to watch as your own home is laid to waste by an enemy who merely does it to kill--" At this point, Leia stood up, Mornoch having struck a sensitive chord within her.   
"You are wrong, Your Highness," she said, her voice backed up with so much unexpected force that the king was taken aback. "During the early battles against the Empire, I was forced to watch as Grand Moff Tarkin destroyed my homeworld. I watched as Alderaan exploded before my very eyes. And I was unable to do anything to stop it from happening." Her eyes hardened as unshed tears pooled behind the brown irises. "I'll tell you how it feels, Mornoch, it hurts. More than any physical pain, this is something that takes years to recover from, and sometimes even a lifetime won't do it. To this very day, I still mourn the loss of Alderaan. I still cry every night in my sleep as I think of all the people I knew--childhood friends, people I knew from my days as an Imperial senator, my own foster father--died at the hands of a madman." Her voice softened at this point, and she looked at them both with sympathetic eyes. "So I do know how it feels. And you must feel the same as I do."   
The Hive Queen looked away, a pained groan escaping her mandibles. Mornoch slightly nodded, ashamed of his harsh words to her, and perhaps even mourning the loss of his family. Han even looked surprised by Leia's words, as if he could sense her pain. One didn't have to be Force-senstivie to sense feelings like that.   
"But you two still haven't answered my question," Leia said, sitting back down. "Why do you continue fighting? Why all the unnecessary bloodshed? For what purpose does this war serve?" The two leaders remained silent, unable to answer her question. It was indeed a good question--which was why they couldn't answer.   
"It's because you don't even remember the original cause of the conflict," Leia said. Not a question. "I'll tell you how this all started: a contract. A shipbuilding contract, to be more precise. Because the Verpines broke a shipbuilding contract with the Barabels, they decided to declare war. And now look at what's happened. Almost two decades have passed, and you still haven't found a resolution to this conflict. How can something so petty have started a war on such a horrific scale as this? A war that has claimed the lives of so many on both sides?"   
Again, neither the Hive Queen nor Mornoch could answer. It seemed as if Leia's words were finally beginning to make sense to them. "Because of revenge," Leia continued. "One of you attacks the other; the other then retaliates, and it keeps going on and on. Revenge is a never- ending cycle, my friends. It doesn't solve anything. All it does is get people hurt. Good people. And it will keep repeating, until there is no one left to fight. Is that what you both want? Is that how you want to end your lives? By contributing to a war as meaningless as this?"   
At this point, she stood up again and headed over to Mornoch, clasping both hands against one reptilian claw. "The Barabels are among the bravest warriors I have ever seen this side of the galaxy. Many times, they have helped the Republic in the war against the Empire, and every time, I have been grateful for their assistance." As she spoke, she led the Barabel king over to the Hive Queen, and placed his scaled hand on top of hers. Both seemed uneasy as doing so, but didn't say anything.   
"And the Verpines are survivors," Leia continued. "They managed to do what no other creature on Taragoth couldn't do: they survived. Despite the horridness of your planet, you were still able to eke out an existence and prosper. I have seen few races who were able to accomplish such a feat. Your B-wing pilots are among the best in the galaxy; they have a strong, intelligent ruler who wishes her people to live their lives and be happy."   
She turned to Mornoch. "And the same goes for you, Your Highness. Neither of you is the bad guy here...although you both are wrong in deciding to continue this war."   
"But..." Mornoch struggled to find the words he was searching for. "...even if we did agree to stop fighting...it will take such a long time for our wounds to heal."   
Leia sadly nodded. "Very true. Indeed, the wounds may never completely heal, and will no doubt leave many scars on both sides. But this is a start." She laid both hands upon theirs, her grip firm and strong. "You both are unique and special in your own ways. The galaxy cannot afford to lose you both in a pointless war. The Republic needs you. My son and niece need you. And..." She hesitated, looking into the eyes of both rulers, "...I need you. End this bloodshed once and for all, and help us fight Black Sun before it is too late."   
For a long time, no one in the war room spoke. Leia and Han waited with baited breath, eyes darting from one leader to the next. The Hive Queen and Mornoch met each other's gaze, both deep in thought. For once, Leia sensed no hostility, no anger, no long-held grudges or vows of vengeance. Finally, something happened. The Barabel tightened his grip on the Hive Queen's enormous pincer, a Barabel sign of peace and friendship. In return the Hive Queen nodded, silently approving as the two shook hands, thus sealing the peace treaty between their two races.   
"Please, forgive me for all I have done to you and your people," the Queen said, genuine regret in her voice.   
Mornoch nodded. "And forgive me as well," he replied.   
Leia's smile couldn't have been wider at that point.  
  
Isolder waited impatiently on the control bridge of the Hapan Battle Dragon _Song of War_ as the fleet coursed through hyperspace, destined for the capital of the New Republic. Or, if what he had heard was correct, former capital.   
"Captain Astarta," he said to his personal bodyguard, a tall, muscular, red- headed woman who frighteningly resembled a warrior from Dathomir. "How soon until we reach Coruscant?"   
"Five standard minutes, my Lord," she replied in her normally calm, even voice. "I wouldn't worry, sir. Once our fleet has arrived, retaking Coruscant from Black Sun will be easy."   
Isolder nodded, wishing he felt as confident as Astarta. The Hapans were an extremely formidable force: he had brought at least thirty Battle Dragons in all, a fleet so vast that it could wipe out an entire armada of Star Destroyers if they wanted to. And yet, he couldn't help but feel concerned for the Republic. After all, the only other time they had been driven from Coruscant was when the resurrected Emperor rose to power, and even then, it was a slow and painful process. With Xizor, however, it had only taken the space of two days...   
Isolder wished his wife was here to reassure him. But Teneniel was on Dathomir at the moment, with their seven-year-old daughter, Tenel Ka. He was glad that they were far away from here, though, and safe from the grasp of Black Sun. However, a small part of him longed to hold his wife again, even for a few minutes.   
Isolder tried to calm down. That time would come soon, as long as everything proceeded according to plan. Five minutes passed like an entire century, and the _Song of War_, along with the rest of the Hapan fleet, emerged from the realm of hyperspace. Coruscant hung in the dark vacuum of space, like a glittering, metallic jewel.   
"I'm detecting few life signs on the planet," a Hapan officer said from her console. "Only about a hundred or so."   
_Black Sun, no doubt, _thought Isolder. "Can you pinpoint their precise location?"   
The officer shook her head. "I am sorry, sir. But they must be jamming our sensors. We can detect them, but I can't specify their location."  
"Then we'll have to do it the hard way," Isolder muttered.   
"Sir," another officer said. "Our sensors are picking up a cluster of ships gathered at the outer edge of the system." She looked over at the Hapan prince, amazement in her brown eyes. "At least a hundred of them."   
Isolder almost choked on the answer. A hundred ships? He had never seen a fleet as large as that before, not even an Imperial one. Apparently, the Republic must have used everything at their disposal in order to evacuate the planet. "Then let's head over there," he ordered. "Coruscant will have to wait. I'd like to meet with the Chief of State and her top generals, and plan our next move." As one, the fleet of Hapan Battle Dragons soared away from the mostly- abandoned planet, heading for the large group of Republic ships.   
Within moments, they had arrived at their destination...completely unprepared for what awaited them. Apparently, the hundreds of ships the Song of War had detected turned out to be nothing more than debris from shattered ships. Large pieces of metal floated aimlessly through space, like a miniature asteroid field. As Isolder gaped at the sight, he saw that the remaining Republic ships--which numbered to only about half of what its original number had been--had moved away from the wreckage to prevent from getting struck by floating debris.   
"What happened here?" Astarta gasped, one hand placed over her mouth.   
"Xizor," Isolder whispered in a low, anger-driven voice as the Hapans closed in on the Republic ships.  
  



	11. Calthazar

Chapter 11  
  
Leanna Kai heard the Jedi Master fall almost immediately. Without wasting time or words, she stood from her hiding spot and dashed quickly into the abandoned Imperial base. The Jedi students who had accompanied them hesitated for a mere fraction of a second, then followed suit, sensing that something was wrong.   
As soon as Leanna entered the corridor, the musty air penetrating her nostrils, she saw that her fears were confirmed. Skywalker was lying comatose on the floor, blood streaming endlessly through deep wounds on his hands. The Jedi Master had just lost consciousness, most likely due to the blood loss. Leanna had no idea what had happened to him, but she knew that it was serious.   
"In the name of the Force!" Streen explained as he rushed to Skywalker's side. "What happened to him?"   
"Look at his hands," Cilghal said as she examined her Master's wounds. Cilghal apparently must have been the healer of the group, Leanna thought. "The wounds he got from his crucifixion must have opened up. We have to get him to the Falcon, fast."   
"Master Skywalker," Kirana Ti, the reptilian-clad warrior, said softly, as she lightly shook the unconscious Jedi. "Master Skywalker, can you hear me?" But Skywalker did not respond.   
"He's out cold," Kam observed. "It must have been the blood loss."   
"How serious is it?" Leanna asked. She barely knew Skywalker, but she did not want him to die.   
He should be fine, once we get him to wake, Cilghal explained. "I need help carrying him." Streen and Kirana Ti helped Cilghal pick the Jedi Master up, while Leanna quietly inspected what remained of the Imperial base. Apparently, she had been misguided. This base had not been used by the Imperials for quite some time. This had been her best shot at finding Boba Fett. And all she had found was nothing.   
The group of Jedi began to leave, and Leanna followed after them, keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself. Fett may have eluded her for know, but she knew that it would only be a matter of time before she would cross paths with the Mandalorian-masked bounty hunter again.   
Revenge would come very soon.  
  
Tionne froze in terror at the sound of the man's voice. At least, she thought it was a man. It was hard to tell, for it was cold and dull and frightening. And it was not friendly at all. Trying to gather up her courage, Tionne said, her voice shaking, "What do you want?" "Skywalker," the voice simply said. "I am aware that he is on Garkonis as of this moment. I plan on making sure that he never leaves."   
Tionne thought fast, considering her options. The blaster pressed harder against her spine, causing her to almost cry out in pain. If she dared to make a move, he would most likely kill her. Maybe if she used the Force to--  
No, she decided. It was too risky. Force or not, her attacker had a great advantage over her. No, she couldn't getting herself killed. But what could she do?   
"Tionne!" a voice suddenly cried out, surprising both her and the attacker. From the corner of her mother-of-pearl eye, she saw Kyp emerge from the Falcon. "Get away from her!"   
Her attacker cried out as something slammed into him, driving him off his feet. The tip of his blaster rifle left Tionne's back, and the Jedi historian sighed in relief. She turned to see what had happened, and saw that Kyp had knocked the man down with an invisible Force blow. Tionne's eyes scoured the area, trying to get a good look at her attacker. She saw a figure dressed in armor, his face hidden by a mask with a T- shaped visor. Mandalorian armor...   
As Kyp rushed to attack, the man brought his gloved wrist up. Tionne saw some type of white wire erupt from his arm, slashing through the warm air and coiling tightly around the young man's neck. As Kyp struggled with the coil, the man tugged to the right, throwing the Jedi off his feet and onto the grassy knoll. The back of his head bounced off a large rock, leaving Kyp writhing in pain. The armored man strode over to the downed Jedi--   
"No!" Tionne shouted as she ran to help him. As Kyp started to get up, his face met the butt of the man's blaster rifle, knocking him out cold. With one Jedi down, he turned to face the other-- As Tionne prepared to fight him--her fingers about to touch the hilt of her deactivated lightsaber--a blue-white arc of light lanced from her weapon, smashing into her face and bringing forth darkness.  
  
Leanna led the way as the small group headed back for the hill, three of the Jedi carrying Skywalker's limp form.   
"How far are we now?" Kam asked, grunting as he held Skywalker by both legs. "Not far now," Leanna said. She could see the _Falcon _perched upon the hilltop, right where they had left it before leaving for the Imperial outpost. Just a few more minutes, and-   
--Even as her eyes set upon the Corellian ship, Leanna and the Jedi watched as the _Falcon_ suddenly exploded in a dazzling, blinding hail of fire and light.  
  
When Callista awoke, it was almost morning. Despite the black coverings that blocked the windows in the healing hut, small rays of sunlight managed to penetrate through, providing her with just enough to light to see.   
"About time you're awake," a voice said.   
Callista turned to see Emna knelt over her, administering a cold cloth to her forehead. "I thought you'd never wake up."   
Callista groaned as she started to get up, a searing flash of pain cascading down her back. Emna gently shoved her back down, careful not to hurt her. "Calm down," she said. "You're still not up to your full strength."   
Callista barely nodded. _Hope...I have to find Hope...and Anakin. _"How...How long do you think..."   
Emna hesitated at the question. "Well, if you're lucky, a week, at the very least. You're still pretty badly hurt. Armenia almost killed you...as did the purification." Callista had to agree with her on that. She had no idea how many hours--or even days--had passed by, and yet very little of the pain seemed to have gone away. She still felt every cut, every bruise, every sore, as if it had all happened five minutes ago.   
"I guess you're right," she said softly, resting her head back against the pillow, the faces of Hope and Anakin hovering hauntingly over her.   
"Would you like something to eat?" Emna asked. "As long as you don't pass out on me this time?"   
Callista chuckled, and nodded. "Please, yes." Emna went over to the pot--it was still on the primitive stove--and dipped a cupful of it into a small wooden bowl with carvings of an exotic bird Callista had never seen before. The soup smelled so good, and she didn't even realize her mouth was watering. Emna handed the bowl of steaming soup to her, and Callista hungrily devoured it. The soup tasted warm and spicy, with vegetables and some type of meat. It tasted so good, and helped restore some of the energy she had lost over the past few days. It wasn't nearly enough for her...but it would do for now.   
Emna whistled as Callista ate the soup within minutes. "Boy, you must have been hungry," she observed. "Want seconds?"   
Callista nodded, and Emna took the bowl from her. "I really appreciate all this," she said as the younger woman provided her with a second helping of soup. "But...I wasn't expecting such hospitality from the Kerash."   
Emna laughed as she handed the bowl, now filled to almost the rim, to her. "Oh, believe me, the Kerash are anything but hospitable," she said, watching as Callista ate. "I've been with them long enough to realize that."   
Callista looked up from her bowl, small droplets of soup spilling from the corner of her lips. "You mean...you're not from here?" Emna shook her head. "I've only lived here for three years. My birthplace was on Dathomir."   
Her answer took Callista by surprise. She almost dropped her soup. "Dathomir?" she said, looking over at the young woman. "I've been to Dathomir before. Were you part of the Singing Mountain Clan?" Callista had spent enough time with the Singing Mountain Clan to know almost all the warriors. But, up until a few days--or hours, it was hard to tell--ago, she had never met Emna before...   
She sadly shook her head. "No. Not Singing Mountain...the Nightsisters." The room suddenly grew very cold.   
Callista's eyes locked onto Emna's, a chill coursing through her blood. A Nightsister. This woman had once been a Nightsister. The people who had almost killed her and Luke. "A Nightsister?" That was all Callista could say. She felt so many emotions at once: anger, confusion, shock...and yet, this woman helped save her life.   
Emna nodded. "I originally came from the Northern Lakes Clan. When Gabriela rose to power, she converted me--and many others from my clan--to the ways of the dark side. I went against everything I had ever believed in, fought against the people I had once called best friends...even family." She looked away from Callista. "I know who you are, Skywalker. Gabriela--and later, Anya--wanted your daughter. They wanted to make her a Nightsister."   
Callista nodded, memories of the nightmare she had endured during Hope's birth returning to her...along with her crucifixion. "I remember," she whispered. "When the clans combined and defeated Anya in the mountains," Emna continued, "I was the only one who had survived. With the Nightsisters dead, I had no purpose in life, no meaning. I couldn't return to my clan, for I knew that they would hang me for my crimes. And I didn't want to become forsaken...and just when I was about to lose hope, a woman came to me."  
"A woman?" _Kara_, Callista thought.   
"Her name was Cray Mingla," Emna said. "She told me about the Kerash, and Black Sun, and how they had joined together to destroy the Republic. Seeing that I had nowhere else to go, I agreed to join her cause. She took me to Anasazi, and began training me in their ways. Because I was the only one who was Force-sensitive, I became their healer. I would care for those who were wounded in battle, for the sick, for the dying. I was able to learn how to speak their native language--well, most of it, at least--and I made many new friends, something I had never had when I was with the Nightsisters. I finally had found my purpose...and for the first time since I left my clan, I was happy."   
Callista listened thoughtfully as Emna talked, the anger slowly going away. She felt nothing but sympathy for the poor girl. She had no idea of how evil the Kerash truly were. And she seemed so innocent about it.   
"But I heard the tragic news about Cray's death," Emna suddenly said.   
Callista almost jumped at what she said. "Dead?" She thought back to how Armenia had threatened to melt her into scrap...   
Emna nodded. "Yes. Armenia told us all. Cray died a noble and heroic death while bringing your daughter and nephew from Coruscant. Our entire village mourns her now." Emna didn't seem to notice the surprised look on Callista's face. "I suppose I've bored you enough already. I'll go get some more water."   
Without waiting for a reply, Emna stood and walked out of the hut. She pulled up the curtain that hung over the doorway and shut off the sunlight, briefly illuminating her in its yellow-white warmth, and left. Leaving Callista along with her thoughts. More pieces began to fit into the puzzle that was forming in her head.   
So, Armenia was lying, even to her own people. They obviously didn't know that Cray was a droid, thought that she was still their leader, and that she had been killed in action. And for the first time, Callista began to think that the Kerash didn't even know about the coming of Arak. This time, she did get up, ignoring the avalanche of pain that shot through her body. She looked down and saw that she was naked, and she quickly threw her blanket over her. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but knew that she wasn't going to accomplish anything by just sitting here, waiting for Emna to return. She headed for the entrance to the healing hut, the dirt ground rough and unfriendly under her bare feet--and gasped as someone threw open the curtain, bathing her in the sun. Callista tensed, afraid that it was Emna again. But after her eyes got used to the sunlight--which she had not seen in days--she realized that it was not Emna, but the old woman she had seen near the village council building. The same woman who had spoken to her in that strange language.   
The woman smiled kindly at her, reminding Callista of her grandmother Ariel. "Fyorga," she said, in a dry, whispering voice. Callista saw that she held a basket in her withered hands. "Fyorga." She pushed the basket forward, offering it to her.   
Callista, still a bit cautious--perhaps this was a trap, set by Armenia-- and took the basket away from her.   
"Thank you," she said softly, knowing that the old woman would most likely not understand her. The woman nodded, and waited patiently for her to remove the cloth that covered the basket. Callista did so, revealing a basket of rolls and fruit. The bread smelled warm and moist, a sure sign that it had just been made. The fruit closely resembled that of an apple, with purplish-blue skin covering it, along with some grapes, and a odd-shaped, almost like a star, ruby-red fruit that Callista had never seen before. It all looked delicious, and she was still ravenous. Her eyes looked up at the old woman, and Callista smiled, a genuine, grateful smile that suggested more than words ever could.   
"Thank you very much," she said.   
The old woman nodded, and inched closer to Callista, her voice barely heard. Callista could only make out one word: "Calthazar."   
Suddenly, another figure burst into the room, flooding the two women with more sunlight. It was Emna, carrying a bucketful of water. Her eyes fell upon the old woman, and a scowl escaped her lips. "Yiu ghria buriand hjseo areina ghjeieia proeatn!"   
The old woman turned to Emna, and said something in her own language. Apparently, Emna would have none of it. She took the old crone by the arm and shoved her out of the hut, all the while cursing in Ansazi. Callista couldn't understand a word of it, but she basically knew what was going on. Emna didn't like the old woman, and wanted her out as quickly as possible. No sooner was the old woman out did Emna close the door behind her, and sighed.   
"Stupid woman," she muttered under her breath. She turned to Callista. "And you shouldn't even be up."   
"What was that all about?" Callista asked. "She seemed so nice..."   
"That woman's name is Sonya, and she's insane," Emna explained, as she led Callista back to bed. "A few years ago, her husband was found murdered in their bedroom. Sonya was found, covered in his blood, a large club held in her hands. She insisted that someone had killed him while they were sleeping, but no one believed her. They cast her out of the village almost immediately thereafter. She still comes occasionally to Semaj, muttering her crazy, nonsensical ramblings." She pulled the blanket over Callista, acting like a worried mother. "Believe me, you do not want to get to know her."   
Callista didn't feel like arguing at that point, so she nodded. "Now, let's see what I can do about that nasty back wound of yours," Emna said as she dipped a fresh rag into the bucket. Callista turned over on her stomach and let Emna do her job, all the while thinking of the old crone, and her final parting words to her. _Calthazar..._  
  
"Let me go!" Hope screamed, for perhaps the zillionth time today, as Armenia dragged her by one arm, carrying her through the jungle. Tree branches and leaves slapped Hope in the face, leaving small cuts on her skin. But she did not cry out in pain, for fear that the Kerash would hurt her if she screamed again.   
"Shut up!" the white-skinned woman snapped angrily, casting a glance to one of her fellow warriors, who had a squirming Anakin in both hands. "I swear, if it wasn't for you two being the Bond, I would have snapped your scrawny little necks a long time ago."   
"You're not gonna get away with this!" Hope said defiantly. At this point, she no longer cared what these bad people did to her. "My Mommy's gonna kill you when she finds us!" Armenia and the Kerash that followed burst into laughter. "Unless you have forgotten, little girl, I managed to pound your poor Mommy into the dirt. She can't take me...or anyone else, here."   
"You got lucky, that's all!" Hope shot back. "When she gets better, she'll..."   
"She'll do nothing," Armenia interrupted, her emerald eyes blazing with uncontrollable fury. "I doubt she even survived the purification. She's most likely dead now, a mere corpse among hundreds of others in the dungeons."   
That stopped Hope. She looked up at her captor in the eyes, unable to speak a word. Was it true...Was Mommy really...?   
"No!" Anakin said to their left. "Don't listen to her, Hope. Aunt Callista's gonna be just fine!" Armenia apparently had had enough of this, and she reached over with one hand to strike Anakin firmly in the jaw. The little boy screamed in pain, as blood spurted from his lips. Hope squirmed and struggled as hard as she could in Armenia's iron grip.   
"Leave him alone!" she said.   
Armenia turned on her, pulling her roughly by the hair. Hope felt her sour breath touch her face, invading her eyes and nose, and she almost choked on the rancid smell. "What does it take to shut you up?" she growled. "If I hear another word out of either of you, I'm going to give you a beating you will _never_ forget."   
Neither child spoke for the rest of the journey, as the group pushed through the endless forest, not stopping to rest for even a minute. The merciless heat from Anasazi's sun beat down upon them, showering Hope in a fresh stream of sweat. She had not had anything to eat or drink for days now. The last time she could remember having eaten a good meal was in Xizor's dining room on Coruscant, the day before she had escaped.   
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she would have been better off with Xizor than with these horrible Kerash. Her stomach growled so much that it hurt. Her throat was parched, her skin covered with blisters and sunburns from having exposed to the sun's rays for so long. Her clothing was almost in tatters, both shoes long gone, and her hair was unkempt and soaked in perspiration. The sweat did little to cool her off. She had never felt this miserable before in her life.   
She risked a glance over at Anakin, and saw that he was no better off than she was. And yet, he managed to give her a confident smile. _Don't worry_, Hope, he thought out to her, speaking to her in a way that the Kerash could never hope to do. _We'll be okay. Aunt Callista will save us. Just you wait.._.   
Hope smiled back, her dried lips cracking as she did so, opening fresh new cuts. _I know...I just wish I could go home..._ Anakin nodded, understanding her pain. After hours of walking, the group came to a halt as they burst through a large clearing. Hope, almost on the verge of collapsing--she couldn't collapse, for she was terrified that the Kerash would leave her behind to rot in the sun--managed to bring her head up to see why they had stopped. And gasped. The group had stopped at the entrance to a very large temple, the largest Hope had ever seen. Bigger than even the Jedi _Praxeum_ on Yavin 4. It had been built in the shape of a cone, and out of limestone. Statues of frightening creatures with wings stood proudly around the temple, like guard dogs that kept away trespassers. A tall gate surrounded the foot of the temple, with four large pillars of torches mounted on all four corners. Hope squinted her eyes, and saw shapes in black cloaks milling around the entrance, obviously waiting for Armenia.   
"At last, we have arrived at the Temple of Arak," Armenia said breathlessly. She tugged Hope by the arm. "Come, we must present the Bond before the High Priest." Hope was still awestruck by the grand augustness of the temple when Armenia yanked her forth. The group moved as a single unit, passing through the open gate--as they approached the temple, Hope saw with horror that the gate was made out of human bones--and into the crowd of Kerash waiting for them. Almost immediately, they swarmed around Hope and Anakin, touching them on the hair, the arms, the legs, the face. Hope hissed in pain as several of them touched the blisters she had sustained, and wished they would just go away. The Kerash were speaking in a language she didn't understand--Hope was fluent in four different languages, but she sure couldn't speak Anasazi- -and from the sound of it, they seemed...skeptical about the two children.   
The mob headed up the steps that led up to the enormous double doors that led into the Temple of Arak, with Armenia leading the way, still holding Hope by one hand. "Don't move," Armenia said in a threatening tone to the little girl as she banged upon one of the doors with one fist. "Open the door! I come bearing the Bond for the great Arak!" Almost immediately, the doors opened, as if they had a life of their own. Armenia waited until they has completely opened, and stepped inside the waiting maw of the temple. The rest of the mob followed suit, muttering quietly in both Basic and Anasazi. The corridor they were in was dark and scary-looking, with only a few torches bolted in the walls providing light. Hope could see the outlining of shapes drawn into the limestone walls, shapes of half-moons, birds, fish, and three-headed dragons. What did all these symbols mean?   
Hope cried out as Armenia yanked hard on her arm, almost dislodging her shoulder, and they walked briskly down the hallway, heading for the trio of cloaked men waiting for them at the end. One of them was probably the High Priest, Hope reasoned. The leader of the group stepped forth, and watched as Armenia stopped within three feet of him, and knelt down on one knee, forcing Hope to do the same.   
"Lord Tsin," she said. "I have come with the Bond." Tsin, the High Priest, nodded. "The girl?"   
"And the boy." Armenia waited as the Kerash shoved Anakin to his knees, leaving both children between her. "They share the Bond that cannot be broken. The Bond that we have been seeking for centuries. The Bond that will free Arak from Raximidaj and bring Her into our world."   
Tsin nodded again, and grabbed Hope's chin by one hand, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes were like deep, black pools that led into oblivion. Hope stared calmly into them, as if suddenly entranced. The High Priest closed his eyes, and began humming, still keeping his hold on Hope. The two priests flanking him began humming as well. This lasted for over a minute or two, before Tsin's eyes snapped open, wide with horror. He stepped back, one hand clutching his throat, as if something was choking him. He gasped something in Anasazi, and the Kerash waited breathlessly, awaiting the final confirmation.   
"It is!" Tsin finally shouted. "They are the Bond! They are the Bond!"   
The Kerash began to cheer, their cackles sending trembles down Hope's spine. Tsin continued to speak, shouting over the din, "Take them to the dungeon below! We shall baptize them in twenty-four hours. And on the next eclipse, we shall begin the Ritual of the Coming. Arak shall finally be reborn!" He held one hand, balled into a fist, in the air. "Arak!"   
Together, the Kerash began chanting after him, "ARAK! ARAK! ARAK!" as Armenia and another led Hope and Anakin, who kicked and screamed fruitlessly, their voices almost drowned out by the chanting, down toward the dungeons.  
  
Llia ran feverishly through the tropical forest, her breath leaving her lungs in quick, shallow gasps. She had been running for hours, and wanted to rest--just for a little while--but she pushed on, ignoring the stitch burning in her side. There was no time for rest. The lives of both Hope and Anakin hung in the balance.   
Llia's throat burned, and she realized she was thirsty. She wished she had brought a bottle of water before she had left Semaj. But she knew she could make it. Her sister could have easily done this with no problem at all...   
The little girl ground her teeth together. Why was she thinking of her sister now? This wasn't the time to bring her back into her memories now. As far as she was concerned, Leanna was gone, and was never coming back... She had gotten Hope and Anakin into this mess. And she was going to get them out. No matter what Armenia--or anyone else--would do to her. Her resolve strengthened, Llia continued running.  
  
As Callista slept that night, she dreamed, and her dreams were nightmares, dark, terrifying images that screamed with the blood of the dead and dying. The images seemed so familiar...and yet, she couldn't recognize them... Her dreams were twisted and vivid. She was standing amidst a circle of fire, battling a fierce three-headed dragon, her only weapon her lightsaber, as lava bubbled through cracks in the ground. The dragon's middle head shot down toward her, its malevolent roar coursing through her eardrums, as it prepared to swallow her whole...   
Other images circled in her mind. She was standing at the top of a white mountain, her arms outstretched like wings, and she jumped down into the dark abyss below.   
Then she was on the ground, covered in mud and dried blood, crawling down a trench, explosions ripping around her left and right, the screams of the dying soldiers humming beautifully in her ear...   
And then she was in the jungles of Anasazi, calmly striding through the massive gnarltrees that made even the mighy Massassi trees look diminutive and weak in comparison. She giggled quietly to herself as she brushed aside a branch that would have struck her in the face if she hadn't seen it. Up ahead, she could hear her daughter and son laughing.   
"Come on, Hope!" she called out, weary of this little game they were playing. It reminded her of how Hope always hid out in the lower floors of the Great Temple and had her mother search endlessly for her. "Hope! Ben! Come out now! Mommy can't see you." She heard Hope giggle, followed by Ben, and she heard their voices cry out to her from the bushes not far off to her right, teasingly beckoning her like sweet honey.   
"We're over here! Catch us if you can!"   
Callista sighed and headed off in the direction of the voices. "Hope, you know how much I don't like this game," she said. "Come out, right now!"   
"No!" her daughter protested, the bushes slightly ruffling, followed by the sound of tiny footsteps running away. "You can't catch us! Neener neener neener!"   
_Kids these days_, Callista thought irritably to herself, her patience wearing extremely thin. "Hope, Ben, this is your last warning. If you don't come out where I can see you, you both are going to be in a lot of trouble!" There was a barely hidden layer of anger in her voice as she spoke. "Don't make me kill you like I had to kill Kara."   
"You're never gonna find us!" Hope shouted back.   
"We're everywhere!" Ben added from his hiding place--wherever that was. Callista finally reached the bush, and pushed the leaves aside--and found nothing. The two had run off again. Callista gritted her teeth, trying not to let her anger envelop her, and stepped over the bush, following the small path through the jungle.   
"The jungle is a very dangerous place, Hope," Callista said in a low voice, not caring whether her daughter heard her or not. "You could get lost forever. There are lots of scary animals that love to eat little children...especially little girls..."   
As she followed the path--Where was it going? Where would it lead her to?-- Callista could hear the taunting calls of Hope and Ben. They were coming at her from all directions, from the trees, from the sky, from the ground, from the river that flowed loudly past the trees. Their voices swirled invisibly around Callista's head, trying to find a way in, trying to tear her apart...   
Callista slowly laughed to herself. "You'll never get into my head!" she snarled, not sounding at all human. Like a fiery demon risen from the ashes of...   
"Callista."   
The voice stopped her strides, stopped her thoughts, and she craned her neck. Where had that voice come from? Behind...   
"Hope?" Callista called out hopefully, her frenzied eyes scouring the jungle. But she saw no one. "Ben?" "Over here..." Callista followed the voice, which led away from the path. Something inside her told her to ignore it, run away, remain on the path, for it was safer...she needed to find Hope and Ben...   
"Follow me..." She followed, the voice so familiar. And she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before. It was young, and male, and about five or six years old... She had no idea how long she walked, but the landscape around her kept changing. First the trees were green, then they were purple. It began to rain, the raindrops falling from the sky not water...but blood.   
_Whose blood? Is it mine...?_ Callista stopped when she had reached the yawning entrance to a mammoth cave. The entrance had been carved into the shape of a cat-like creature's head, with its gaping mouth the doorway into what was inside the dark cavern. Callista's lightsaber slicing through one of the cat-like beasts on Yavin 4... The original nomads of Kerash...   
_You're never gonna find us...  
We're everywhere...  
Forever... She is forever..._ What were these strange voices dancing around in her head? Was this some kind of joke? Callista looked into the entrance to the cave, then at her hands. Blood was seeping from the scars on her palms. She had been crucified...  
And yet, she felt no pain.   
"It hurts, Mommy," Hope said from behind. Callista turned and saw her little girl, standing by her side, tears pooling in her eyes. "It still hurts..."   
Callista nodded, and crept inside the cave. She heard the screeching of bats as her presence startled them from their slumber, and they burst from the yawning mouth in unison, screeching into the moonlight.   
But, it had been daytime only seconds ago...   
_She is coming... I can see you... No matter where you are, I will find you! You'll never be able to escape me! I'll rip your head off, and make it my personal trophy! I'll kill your daughter... I'll kill your husband... I know where you live, Callista! What's the matter? Are you gonna cry? Are you going to go crying home to your Mommy? Oh, wait, you don't have a Mommy... Because you KILLED her_!   
Darkness closed in around Callista, shutting out the light from the moon. She couldn't see anything ahead of her, but the voice continued calling out to her.   
"I'm right here, Callista..."   
"Where?" she called out. "What...is this place?"   
"Over here...you'll find me..."   
_Your corpse will be displayed for all to see...   
No one will be able to stop me...  
...for I know all. I see all. I am forever. You cannot see me, but I can see you. You'll never find me...until it is too late...   
_Suddenly, a light shining from a torch illuminated the cave, washing away the darkness. Washing away Callista's soul... As her eyes adjusted to the newborn light, she saw frightening pictures carved into the walls. Pictures of people dressed in black, ripping the hearts out of their victims. Pictures of skeletons dangling from chains... Pictures of Anasazi's sun, a greenish-blue light shining within as it exploded...   
She looked down and saw Ben's body, covered in his own blood. His light brown eyes were wide open in lifeless terror and agony.   
_Who did this..?  
_ "Where are you?" Callista asked in a hushed whisper.   
"Here..." The voice trailed off, and Callista saw Josef, her little brother--as if he handn't been dead for over thirty years--standing on a pile of rocks, a flaming torch in his slim, pale hands. He smiled, a cold, frightening smile that was more terrifying than anything Callista had seen in her entire life. The smile of a corpse. "You always liked playing in the caves, Callista..."  
Callista awoke with a scream. The nightmare immediately vanished into oblivion as she returned to the inside of the healing hut, lying safe and comfortable on her bed. Callista sat in bed, her body trembling like an inner earthquake, trying to remember what had happened in her dream.   
The cave...   
Callista couldn't explain it, but she had gone into that cave for a reason. She had found it in the middle of the Anasazi jungle. But did that mean it was real? Was it the key to defeating the Kerash? Callista looked around the hut, and saw that Emna was gone. This gave her the perfect opportunity. If her hunch was correct, she knew exactly where the cave was...   
Quickly dressing in a black tunic and pants lying in a pile of clothes in the corner--Emna's laundry, no doubt--Callista crept out of the healing hut and vanished into the starless night.  
  
The group quickened their speed as soon as the flames erupted from the _Falcon_, Leanna leading the way. Up ahead, the afternoon sun was slowly being enveloped by large, grayish-black clouds, the first sign that it would soon be raining. Leanna's heart raced wildly in her throat, and she almost tripped over her own feet as she ran. What had happened to the _Falcon_? She could see smoke still rising from the remains of the YT-1300, seeping into the sky. She briefly wondered if perhaps Fett was on Garkonis after all... An indecipherable growl escaped her lips as she thought of the masked bounty hunter. If that was true, then she would finally have her long- awaited revenge. But that would have to wait.   
First, they had to get to the _Falcon_.   
The group dashed up the Jrinjan Plateau and reached the top within seconds. The _Falcon_ was lying in ruin, flames spreading across the grass, only inches away from touching Leanna's feet. A fresh cloud of smoke rose from its wrecked body, mixing in with the storm clouds forming in the darkening sky. Apparently, someone had planted an explosive near the engines of the Falcon, rendering it incapable of leaving the planet. The ship was not ruined beyond repair--thank the Force--but it would be a while before it would be able to fly again.   
Leanna heard someone groan off to her left. Her eyes searched the area until they found the two Jedi students who had remained behind--Kyp and Tionne--sprawled on the grassy ground, unconscious. Durron was bleeding from the back of his head. Cilghal helped sit Skywalker down, careful not to drop him, and ran over to check on the two students. "Kyp! Tionne!" she said. "Are you all right?"   
Tionne groaned again, and her eyes slowly flew open, staring off into the sky. "Man...he attacked...mask..."   
"What man?" Cilghal pressed, positioning the historian's head on her lap.   
Tionne shook her head. "Mask...Mandalorian. He attacked us...Kyp needs help..."   
At the mention of "Mandalorian", Leanna's hands balled into tight fists. So, it was true. Fett was on Garkonis. And apparently, he meant business.   
As Cilghal tended to their wounds, Leanna turned back to the desecrated Falcon. Fett must have sabotaged the YT-1300, knowing that Skywalker was on the planet. That way, no one save for the bounty hunter himself would be able to leave Garkonis. Leanna's lips curled into a frightening grimace, and she gripped her blaster tighter. _That's the last mistake Fett will ever make...   
_She looked down at the Calamarian. "You take care of them," she said. "I'm going to go find Fett."   
Cilghal looked up, concern welling in her large, amphibian eyes. "Are you sure it's Boba Fett who did this?" she asked.   
Leanna scowled. "She said something about her attacker wearing Mandalorian armor. No impersonator is this good." Her eyes left the _Falcon_ and Cilghal, and focused on the jungle that stretched over the horizon. "I think I know where he is. He's waiting for us...out in the jungle."   
"You're not going out there alone, Leanna," Cilghal said firmly. "Kam, go with her!" But Leanna was already gone.  
  
She ran, tearing through the thick underbrush with her machete in one hand, a vibroblade in another. Up above, raindrops began to fall from the black clouds, showering Leanna in a fresh river of water.   
But she was not perturbed. She continued her mad dash through the jungle, hacking and slashing at any obstacle barring her way. _I know where you are, Fett...I know where you're hiding._..   
Images of that fateful day flashed before her eyes: her brother's body, her little sister's frightful face, her emerald eyes, her own terror at seeing her family die at the hands of that murderer--  
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Leanna screamed at the top of her lungs, a tree branch slicing across her face. Blood seeped from a long cut next to her eye, and dripped into her mouth. It tasted warm and coppery, mixed in with the rain. It was invigorating.   
"Fett!" she shouted, followed by a powerful crash of thunder. Long, deadly fingers of lightning danced across the cloudy sky, and the rain fell to the earth with greater force. "Fett, show yourself! I know you're out here! I've got a little present for you..."   
Quickly, she rechecked the weaponry she had at her disposal. The machete, three vibroblades, a blaster rifle, a laser cutter, and a wrist blaster. Would it be enough to take him down...?   
A laser bolt crackled from the trees. Leanna tasted burnt ozone, and leaped aside, narrowly missing the killing shot by a hair. She tucked her body into a roll and landed behind the trunk of a tree, arming her blaster rifle.   
He was here.   
"Finally decided to show your ugly face?" Leanna shouted, as she fired several volleys into the trees. She had no idea where her enemy was hiding, but if she was lucky... Fett responded in kind, more bolts heading in her direction. Leanna ducked, and they exploded into the tree just above her head.   
"Come on! You can do better than that!" Leanna said, leaping away from her hiding spot. "I'm not afraid of you, Fett! Are you afraid of me? Is that why you're hiding?"   
"I am not hiding," a voice said, directly behind her. Leanna smiled--a large, white-toothed smile that would send the bravest soul running--and spun around in a heartbeat, her rifle ready. Fett stood before her in all his shining glory, his face hidden from the Mandalorian mask.   
"I remember you, Leanna," he said, his voice barely audible under the heavy rainfall and chorus of thunder. "I remember you very well..." The hunter and the hunted faced each other in the heart of the raging storm.   
  
_The cave..._   
Callista ran, knocking aside branches hanging lifelessly from the gnarltrees, surrounded by darkness, her only light the moon hovering ominously in the sky. A cold wind tore through the jungle, sending a shiver through her body. Her bare feet were numb, and covered in mud--or was it blood?   
_Blood like in my dream... Catch us if you can!   
_The cave was around here somewhere; she could feel it. An animal's long, mournful howl pierced the night. Callista's head looked up, her eyes frenzied and bloodshot. The howl echoed over and over again, slowly growing fainter. Whatever made that sound was, hopefully, far, far away from here. Callista cried out as the toes of her left foot struck against a rock. A tremble of pain shot through her leg, and she fell, landing flat on her chin. The hard ground slashed open a fresh cut on her skin, mixing in with mud and sweat, and she hissed in pain. She still had not fully recovered from her fight with Armenia and the purification. She knew that it was possible she would collapse and not wake up for a long time... Groaning, she managed to stand back up, feeling some of her strength return. Blood trickled slowly down her chin, falling to the ground. She ignored it, and sprinted through the tangle of trees and vines, harder than ever before. The cave. She had to get to the cave.  
_ We're everywhere!  
Everywhere.._. The giggling of small children poured into her ears, sound so real.   
_My mind,_ Callista thought, her teeth ground together so hard that she almost scratched the enamel off. _Ignore it. It's all in my mind... Luke...Luke...I need you...   
_She crashed through a crowd of gnarltrees, snapping dozens of vines in half, scaring off the animals that made their homes in the trees. She felt her body lift into the air for a brief second, as if she had suddenly turned into a mighty bird--   
And fell. She fell, and hit the ground hard, and began rolling down she had not seen. Her head bounced off against several rocks as she fell, and many times, her vision blacked out. It was only through the Force that she managed to avoid the dark, quiet realm of unconsciousness. But there was nothing she could do to stop her plummet down the hill. After an eternity, she felt her body slide to a halt as she hit the ground once again. She remained like that for a long time, before she realized that she was no longer moving. She had come to the end of the hill. Callista's eyes were the first to move. They looked around, first at the endless black shroud that ate away at the sky, then at the twisted trees that surrounded her, and finally turned to her right, still slightly blurry from her fall down the hill- And rested upon the cave in her dream. No sooner did she see the enormous, feline head carved from stone that signified the entrance to the cavern was Callista on her feet, disregarding the pain she felt. There it stood, exactly as it had in her nightmare. With the face of the original Kerash nomads. _  
They must have carved the sculpture themselves, _Callista thought.   
_Perhaps they kept written records about themselves and their culture. Maybe there's something in there that will tell me how to defeat Arak and the Kerash.   
That's why I was brought here...   
Calthazar...  
Hope...   
_Finally finding the courage she needed--and also wishing she had her lightsaber with her, which had been taken away by the Kerash--Callista stepped toward the entrance. The cat-like mouth was frozen open, not looking warm and inviting at all. For a brief moment, Callista was afraid that if she set a foot inside the cave, the mouth would close up behind her, trapping her inside forever.   
_You always liked playing in the caves, Callista..._   
Callista swallowed, and entered the cave. Almost immediately, a swarm of bats shrieked, startled by the unexpected intruder, and dove out of the cave, into the moonlit sky.  
Callista continued inward, and the light streaming from Anasazi's moon was swallowed in blackness. Her feet stepped into something cold and slimy, but she couldn't see what it was. Perhaps that was for the best...   
As she walked, she looked over her shoulder, and saw that the entrance remained still and unmoving. Just as she had hoped it would. _Calm down, Callista. It's all in your head_...   
A light from the end of the dark tunnel caught her eyes. She stopped dead in her tracks, recognizing it as torchlight.   
_You always liked playing in the caves, Callista...   
Josef?   
_Was he here? His pale skin, his cold, frightening smile...  
There was only one way to find out. Callista strode stealthily down the tunnel, the light growing slightly brighter with each successive step she took. As she approached closer, she could hear the sound of a woman humming...   
The tunnel ended in a turn to the right, the flames from the torch almost blinding now. Callista followed the path, every living cell in her body screaming as she turned, terrified of what she would find--   
And stopped. She was in the room again, the same room in her dream. The same hieroglyphics carved into the cavern walls, reflecting off the torchlight. She saw the torch moments later...and the person holding it.   
Not Josef.   
Sonya.   
The old woman was sitting in the middle of the small chamber, on her knees, praying in Anasazi. Her back was turned to Callista, oblivious to her presence. In one hand, she held the torch. In the other...   
"Sonya."  
The old crone turned at the sound of her name. She smiled as her eyes rested upon Callista. "Fyorga," she said in greeting, standing up, her old knees wobbling, looking as frail as twigs fallen from a tree. "Ghirasha hruial rumana."   
Callista nodded, wishing she could understand what the woman was saying. Her eyes trailed down toward Sonya's hand, and she saw that she was holding a tablet of some sort. "What's that?" she asked instinctively, despite the fact that Sonya wouldn't understand her.   
Sonya gave her a quizzical look. "Kupa?"   
Callista pointed at the stone tablet she held. "That," she insisted. "What is that?" Finally understanding, Sonya looked down at the tablet, and handed it over to her. It shook and quivered under her frail hand. "Calthazar," she said. Callista hesitated, unsure of what to do. It seemed that Sonya wanted her to take the stone tablet from her. But why? What was on the tablet that was so important...?   
Callista snatched the tablet from Sonya before she ended up dropping it, and turned away from her, her gray eyes gazing down upon the words inscribed upon it. The tablet seemed to be over thousands of years old, and almost on the verge of falling apart. It was written in some language Callista couldn't understand--Anasazi, perhaps?--and covered the entire front of the tablet.   
_What does this mean? Is this what I was looking for? Is this the key to defeating the Kerash? This must have been why I came here. The dream was trying to tell me something.   
You always liked playing in the caves, Callista...   
_"Thank you," Callista found herself saying as she turned to face the old woman. But Sonya had vanished.


	12. The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 12  
  
When Callista returned to the healing hut an hour later, she was greeted by a worried Emna.   
"Where were you?" she demanded sharply, sounding more relieved than angry. "I was worried sick about you. For a while, I thought you might have gone out to find your daughter..."   
As she spoke, she looked at the clothes Callista was wearing. "Are those my clothes?"   
"I just borrowed them," Callista said, trying to sound convincing, feeling slightly guilty than her mysterious disapperance had genuinely frightened the former Nightsister. "I just..." "Are you okay?" Emna asked.   
Callista shook her head. "I'm fine. I just...went out for a walk," she finished lamely. The stone tablet was hidden in one large pocket, away from Emna's demanding eyes. "Just wanted to...you know...let out some steam."   
Emna nodded, and, judging from the look on her face, Callista knew that she wasn't buying any of it. "Well, don't do that again. You're still not up to your full strength, and if anyone--especially Armenia--caught you outside the healing hut, it would've been both our necks."   
Callista sighed, as she headed for her bed. With the adrenaline wearing out, she _was_ starting to feel a little tired. Emna turned to leave. "I'll get you some fresh clothes." "Wait!" Callista called out after her, causing the young woman to stop. "I have something to ask you." Emna turned her head back, giving Callista a suspicious look. "What?"   
"Do you know what 'calthazar' means?"   
"Calthazar?" There was a blank look on her face. Callista nodded.   
"When Sonya--that old woman--came to visit me earlier today, she said something about a 'calthazar', or something. I was just wondering what that meant in Anasazi. I was hoping you'd know."   
Emna thought about it for a moment--hopefully, she was as well-versed in the Anasazi language was Callista thought--and shrugged. "I'm not sure," she said. "I'm pretty fluent in Anasazi, but I've never heard of that term before."   
"Are you sure?"   
Emna nodded, and began to leave, but stopped. "Why do you ask?" she asked, casting a final glance at the other woman.   
Callista shrugged, trying not to look too obvious. "I was just...curious, that's all. That woman just...she kinda gives me the creeps." _In more ways than you know,_ she added silently to herself, recalling how the old crone had just vanished in the cave...   
Emna apparently didn't want to argue, so she accepted Callista's answer and headed out of the hut, making very little sound as she left. Callista sighed, the tension she had been keeping in finally getting loose, and sank to her bed. She took the tablet out of her pocket and traced one finger over the strangely-written words spread across the old stone. Small cracks blemished the tablet. In another few years, it would probably break into little pieces.   
If only she knew what they were saying.   
_Calthazar_...   
Callista finally decided to save it for tomorrow. Everything that had transpired since her arrival on Ansazi was finally getting to her. What she needed now was a good, long rest. She rested her head on the hay-stuffed pillow, wishing that Luke was laying by her side, his strong arms gathered around her in a comforting embrace. And she thought back to their last encounter. How she had snapped at him, accused him of not loving Hope as much as she did, of her hand striking Leia across the face, of how she had snapped at Han. It all seemed like it had happened so long ago. _Luke, my love...I'm so sorry for everything I've done...I hope, that when this is all over, you and Leia and everyone can forgive me...   
_She fell asleep.  


*  
  


The temple was larger than Llia remembered. Of course, the last time she had seen it, she had been a mere three-year-old apprentice, still learning the ways of the Kerash, under the tutelage of Armenia. She had just arrived on Anasazi back then, a year after her family's death...   
Nonetheless, every time Llia laid her eyes upon the magnificent structure-- built hundreds of years ago by Armenia's ancestors--she felt her breath leave her body, every muscle tense up. A sensation of pride, actually, pride in her ancestors for having accomplished a task that must have taken many grueling years. And yet, she was fully aware of the evil that lay within the temple walls. She knew of what the Kerash intended to do. Hope and Anakin were the Bond, the Bond needed to bring Arak from Raximidaj... Llia shook her head and tried to focus on her purpose at hand. She was exhausted, more so than she had ever felt before. She must have been running for over twenty-four hours, with little food and water, and she felt ready to drop. And then she thought of little Hope, and Anakin...that was enough to press her on.   
She remembered how she had once decided to play a game with Armenia, by hiding in one of the underground chambers of the temple. She had been outside, and crept through a small hole that had been made into the wall by some animal, which led into the temple. Armenia had spent at least two hours looking for her, while Llia, giggling, managed to successfully evade her for a good amount of time. Of course, Armenia gave her a severe beating after she finally found her... After a moment of resting, Llia sprinted across the clearing--which was far easier than having to run through the jungle--toward the temple. Hopefully, that hole in the wall was still in place...  
  
The Kerash had put Hope and Anakin in a dark room with very little light. They hadn't chained them up to the walls, though--thank the Force for small favors--but they were still locked in. Hope looked around the smelly place, wondering, _Why is it that all bad guys have to have dark, smelly dungeons?_   
She heard Anakin gasp in pain, and she turned to see her older cousin, who was sitting next to her, trying to nurse a cut on his arm, one of the many wounds he had sustained in his sojourn through the jungle.   
"Are you okay, Annie?" she asked, concerned.   
Anakin nodded, biting his tongue to keep from screaming. "My arm hurts. I think...it's cut really deep..." There was so much pain in his voice that it broke Hope's heart. The little girl scooted closer to him and took his arm gingerly in her hands, careful not to harm his cut any more than it already was. She looked down at the wound, and then at Anakin.   
"I need your help, Annie. Together, we can make it all better."   
Anakin seemed a little scared, worried that they might do something wrong, but Hope sent a soothing thought to him, clearing him of his doubts and fears. The little boy nodded, and smiled--and for the first time, Hope saw how beautiful his blue eyes were. He had Daddy's eyes...   
Together, the two closed their eyes and began to concentrate. In her mind, Hope saw the cut, magnified by ten times, as though she was viewing it through a microscope. She saw the torn skin, the tiny red blood cells, the thick red river that oozed out of the injury. Then she saw herself, so tiny compared to the gigantic cut. Saw herself touch the skin with her hands...and begin to mend it. Anakin was there too, on the other side, the broken skin pulling back together, stopping the flow of blood. Slowly, but steadily, they were healing the cut, relieving it of the pain, making it all better.   
After five minutes or so, Anakin's cut had completely disappeared, faded away as if it had never been. Hope smiled as she opened her eyes and saw that Anakin's arm was unscathed.   
_Thank you, Force_, her mind whispered, as she shook Anakin, waking him from his trance. He looked around the dark room, dazed, and then at his arm. "Look, all better now," Hope chirped, kissing his arm.   
Anakin smiled, amazed that he and his cousin were able to pull such a feat. "We make a really good team, you know that?" he said.   
"Darn straight," Hope said. But the joy of healing Anakin's wound was quickly replaced with fear of what was going to happen to them. "Anakin...I wish Mommy was here."   
The little boy nodded, and gathered Hope in a loving hug. She rested her head upon his shoulder, resisting the urge to cry. She had already done enough of that for one lifetime...   
"Don't worry, Hope," he said, sounding so strong and brave...and yet, as frightened as she was. "We'll get through this. I won't let anyone hurt you."   
The two remained locked in their hug, neither speaking. There was nothing else needed to say. All that was left was to wait for the Kerash...   
Suddenly, Hope heard a noise. The two broke away from their embrace, exchanging frightened glances. "Did you hear that?" Anakin asked, his voice slightly trembling.   
Hope nodded. "There's someone in here." The two stood up as one, and looked around the room, neither daring to make a sound. But the dungeon so dark, Hope could barely see anything.   
She felt someone grab her by the hand, and she almost jumped ten feet into the air. "Anakin," she said, practically tasting her heartbeat. "You scared me. Don't grab my hand like that again."   
There was a pause. "Uh...Hope?"   
"What?"   
"That's not my hand you're holding."   
Realization dawned on Hope's face, as she discovered that if Anakin was standing to her left, how could his hand grab her from the right? Without realizing it, she began to scream.   
A voice broke through the darkness. "Hey, munchkin, calm down! Do you want the Kerash to know I'm here?"   
Hope stopped screaming, and looked to her right. She couldn't see anyone-- although the person was still holding her by the hand--but she knew that voice from anywhere.   
"Llia?"   
"No, it's Dengar the bounty hunter. Of course it's Llia!"   
"What are you doing here?" Hope asked.   
"What do you think? I'm getting you guys out of here."   
"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Hope asked as she and Anakin crawled through the small, dark passageway that led out of the dungeons, with Llia leading the way.   
"Of course, munchkin," Llia replied. "I've been here before. I know this entire temple like the back of my hand."   
Hope nodded, and pressed on. Thank the Force she wasn't claustrophobic, or else crawling through this would have been a nightmare. It was dark, smelly, and gross, not to mention extremely hot. It reminded her of the ventilator shafts she and Anakin played in on Coruscant whenever they would play hide-and-seek with Jacen and Jaina. The little girl sighed. Those had been happier times. At this point, she was even wishing to see the twins again, no matter how annoying they were. And Chewie, and Mr. Threepio and Mr. Artoo, and Uncle Lando, and Winter, and Uncle Han, and Aunt Leia, and Daddy...   
...and Mommy.   
Hope almost started to cry again as she recalled the last time she had seen Mommy. Lying on the sandy ground, nearly crippled from her fight with Armenia, her arms reaching out to hug Hope as the Kerash took her away... _Please, Mommy, be alive_, Hope thought out, the faintest trickle of a warm tear sliding down one pale, dirt-caked cheek. _Please...   
_Hope shared a glance back at Anakin, and she could sense his thoughts as well. He longed to see his family again as much as she did. She offered him a loving smile, and turned back to continue her crawl.   
"We're almost out," Llia said, breaking into Hope's thoughts. "Now, once we're outside, you need to be as quiet as possible. There are Kerash guards outside."   
Hope and Anakin nodded, and the trio moved on. It was unbearably quiet, the only sounds their own breathing and the occasional whimper from Hope. She could distinctly hear the sounds of guards speaking from outside the limestone tunnel walls, in that funny-sounding language of theirs. Her breathing left her body in short, hushed gasps. She was trying so hard not to cry out in fear... _Be brave, Hope_, a voice whispered, brushing against Hope's ears like the cool wind, sweet and silken, like her Mommy's voice. _Be brave_... Hope nodded, to no one in particular, and stopped when Llia did. A bright wave of sunlight poured through the tunnel as the three children found themselves at the small entrance.   
"Here we are!" Llia whispered, as she squeezed through the opening--which was barely small enough for a child as young as her to fit through--and landed on the sea-green grass. Hope was next. As she tried to fit through the hole, Llia reached in and helped her out. Within seconds, she was finally out, and Llia helped the little girl stand up, both taking a deep breath of fresh air. _Free!_ Hope's little mind screamed with joy. _We're free!_ She waited as Llia helped Anakin out, and she pulled the two close to her, her voice not even above a whisper. Off to their left, Hope could hear the Kerash guards talking, oblivious to their presence.   
"Okay, here's the plan," Llia quietly explained. "We sneak away from the temple as quietly and quickly as possible. When we're near the edges of the jungle, we take off and head for Semaj. Your mother's still there, I believe."   
Hope felt an unspeakable surge of relief at the news. "Mommy?" she asked. "You mean...she's okay?"   
Llia nodded. "She took a pretty bad beating from Armenia, and the purification ritual didn't help, either. But she managed to live through it. She's in the healing hut, where our healer is tending to her wounds."   
Hope did not even bother hiding the enormous smile that slowly stretched across her face. Mommy was still alive! She imagined the look on her face when she and Anakin would burst through the door of the healing hut--   
"What is the meaning of this?" The loud, booming voice startled all the three children. In unison, they turned to see one of the Kerash priests looming menacingly over them. His eyes slightly widened when he saw Llia. "Llia, why are you here? And with the Bond? Why aren't they in the dungeon?"   
"Busted," Anakin muttered under his breath.   
Llia leaned in to whisper in Hope's ear. "Don't say a word. Let me handle this, okay?" She turned back to the priest, her hands on her hips. "You are such an idiot, Gershon! Armenia asked for me to fetch the Bond and bring them to the Main Hall at once!" Gershon didn't seem entirely convinced by this. "Why would she require their presence in the Main Hall?" he demanded. Llia shook her head in disgust. "Were you born yesterday, you worthless monkey-lizard? Armenia and Tsin need the Bond in order to begin the Ritual of the Coming."   
"But, the eclipse--"   
"Eclipse, schmeclipse!" Llia interrupted rudely, taking a step closer to the tall man. "Tsin figures that we bring them to the Main Hall now instead of having to wait until the eclipse. By then, it may have been too late. Better safe than sorry."   
Gershon listened to Llia's convincing lie, and finally nodded. "Very well, then. Get to it, Llia." He raised one large fist into the air. "For Arak."   
Llia nodded, and mirrored the priest's gesture. "For Arak." Gershon turned and headed back into the temple, leaving the three alone once again. Hope and Anakin shared impressed glances, then turned to Llia.   
"That was good," Anakin commented. "You almost had me fooled myself."   
Llia grinned. "One of the advantages of living with Armenia for all these years is learning how to lie well." She looked over her shoulder to make sure that Gershon was truly gone, then back at the two kids. "Come on, we don't have much time. I doubt Gershon will be fooled for very long."   
"Llia, wait," Hope said. She hesitated, not sure of what to say. "About what I said to you earlier, I'm s..."   
Llia shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm the one who got you two into this mess. And now, I'm gonna help you get out of it. Now, let's get going. We can still make it to Semaj before dusk."   
Hope nodded, and they ran.  
  
"Are you sure no one in Semaj knows about the Ritual of the Coming?" Tsin asked Armenia, pacing around the foot of the golden altar in the Main Hall. Except for him and the white-skinned warrior, they were alone. Kinshur remained on the altar, sleeping, his newly-inflicted wounds barely beginning to heal.   
Armenia, standing off to the side, nodded. "I am positive, my Lord," she said, her voice exuding confident arrogance. "The only ones aware of our plan is the Semaj Council. The rest of the villagers are as blind as hawk- bats. Their blood will do well when the baptizing begins." She rubbed her hands together, mimicking the High Priest's own gesture. "Although...I have uncovered some disturbing news."   
Tsin turned to her, his purplish-blue robes swirling around him like a pair of bird-like wings. "What?" he asked.   
"The Council has reported a rebel uprising in the Southern Valley," Armenia replied. "Apparently, they have a spy amongst them, who learned of the Ritual of the Coming. They're not too happy of what we're planning to do."   
She hesiated. "If word spreads to Semaj, the blood of the villagers will be tainted with knowledge...and it will be useless." Tsin nodded, barely fazed by the revelation. "It shouldn't be a problem. Send our best warriors to the Southern Valley and dispose of these rebels. Are they aware that we know of their intent?"   
Armenia shook her head, her confidence returning. "Not a clue, my Lord. They will be pushka lambs to the slaughter."   
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Gershon. "My Lord," he said to Tsin, and nodded in Armenia's direction.   
"Gershon," Tsin addressed. "Armenia has just uncovered some very intriguing news about a group of Kerash rebels rising in the Southern Valley. I want you to accompany Armenia and her warriors when they go to slaughter them." Gershon nodded, and looked around the Main Hall, as if expecting someone else to be with them.   
"Where is the Bond?" he asked.   
Armenia's eyes flashed as she locked onto the priest. "What do you mean?" she asked.   
"The Bond," Gershon explained. "Llia said that she was bringing the Bond to the Main Hall to prepare for the Coming. She said it was your orders, Armenia."   
A snarl hissed from Armenia's mouth, as she stepped closer to the Kerash priest. "Llia is here?" she demanded.   
Gershon nodded, uncertainty--and even fear--in his green eyes. "Was...she not supposed to be here?" Armenia and Tsin exchanged a brief glance, then back at Gerson. Silence reigned in the Main Hall, as thick and tangible as a blanket. Which was soon broken by a simultaneous yell from both Tsin and Armenia.   
"GUARDS!"  
  
The Hapan shuttle carrying Isolder docked in the bay of the Dantooine. Already, an escort of Republic guards had arrived to surround the ship, welcoming the Prince of Hapes. The ramp extended, and Isolder was the first to step out, flanked by two of his Amazon-like bodyguards. Astarta had remained on the _Song of War_ to keep things under control in his absence. The Prince was greeted by a tall, dark- haired man, whom he recognized as Wedge Antilles.   
"Prince Isolder," Wedge said with a small bow. "I'm glad to have you with us." Isolder nodded in reply. "It looks like I arrived too late, though," he said gravely, the images of the ruined Republic ships still haunting his mind. "Xizor's handiwork, I presume?" Wedge nodded. "You got it. We never even saw it coming."   
Isolder could see the despair and rage in the man's eyes. "How...How could he have managed to accomplish such a thing?"   
"Xizor must have been planning this for some time," Isolder pointed out, remembering his conversation with Han. "He managed to stay hidden from Republic eyes on Coruscant for years now. I have no doubts that he spent his time wisely. My guess is, he must have had spies amongst the Republic who implanted the explosives on the ships." The general sighed, rubbing some sweat off his cheek. "I still can't believe I didn't see this coming." His tired, worn-out eyes met Isolder's. "Do you have any idea how many people died? Millions. Most of them were civilians, people who had no experience in battle. Men, women...even children." His voice slightly cracked, and Isolder wished he could do something to take some of the guilt off his shoulders.   
"Xizor has been able to do something no other enemy had ever done. It'll take years for the Republic to recover from this." Isolder laid a strong hand on Wedge's shoulder. "But the Republic is strong, my friend. It has thousands of allies, many races who will be willing to help you rebuild. I know how hard this must be for you, and I am terribly sorry for all those who died today. But I know you can get through this."   
His words seemed to get through Wedge's rough exterior. He shook his head. "But...I don't see how we're going to win this war. I mean, Black Sun has been able to drive us away from Coruscant."   
"The cloned Emperor did that as well," Isolder reminded him. "And you managed to defeat him in the end."   
"This is different, though. Xizor..."   
"...can be defeated, my friend," Isolder said calmly. "Just like every other foe the Republic has encountered. And you won't be alone in this fight."   
Wedge nodded, and for the first time, he seemed more in control of his feelings. "Anyways, I do appreciate you being here," he said. "We need all the help we can get." "How many ships do you have left?" Isolder asked.   
"At least seventy or eighty battleships," the general replied. "I've sent the remaining civilian transports to Calamari, where they'll be safe from Black Sun. I've received word that the Calamarians will be sending all the fighters they have here as soon as possible." "Good," Isolder nodded. "I need to speak with the Chief of State."   
"She's not here," Wedge said. "She and General Solo went to settle the dispute between the Verpines and the Barabels. Hopefully, she'll be able to forge a treaty between the two races, and they can help us fight Black Sun."   
Isolder had to smile at that. "There's Leia for you," he said. "Even in times of crisis, she's always willing to help others. Has she been successful?"   
Wedge shrugged. "No word since they left."   
"Then we'll have to act fast," Isolder said. "I want to meet with the rest of the Republic generals and plan our next move--"   
A cacophony of alarms resounded throughout the chamber, causing everyone present to look around in shock and confusion. A frightened officer's voice poured through the speakers.   
"Warning! Enemy battleships have come out of hyperspace! Repeat, enemy battleships have come out of hyperspace!"   
Wedge looked over at Isolder, horrified. "Black Sun," he said.   
The entire Black Sun fleet--consisting of over a hundred battleships-- emerged from hyperspace, like a pack of hungry krayt dragons searching for their prey, and opened fire on the Republic and Hapan ships.  
  
When Emna left to go to the evening devotional--as was required of all the village, even those who did not follow the Kerash--Callista slipped out of the healing tent again. She slunk through the camp, inspecting every inch for an escape route. Of course, before she could make any attept at an escape, she had to find Hope and Anakin.   
Callista closed her eyes. The memory of her daughter before all this had happened swam to the surface of her memory, as clear and focused as if it had been yesterday. But a lot of yesterdays had passed by since things had been simple.   
A distant buzzing rang in her ears...a disturbance in the Force, and one she hadn't felt for a long time... Callista turned her head to the hills in the north, and knew in an instant that there was something not right there. And as a Jedi, she had to go check it out.  
  
Prince Xizor watched calmly as his men carefully lowered a dozen cloning tanks to the cavern floor. He knew that, of course, nothing could harm him on Coruscant... ...but that didn't mean he couldn't be prepared. He wanted to make absolutely sure that no one would interfere with his plans to take over the galaxy. And if that meant hiding some of his own clones on a forsaken, forgotten planet, well...so be it.   
A threatening creak reverberated in the dank chamber. Xizor looked up with alarm to see one of his tanks, holding the most developed clone yet wobble precariously on its lowering platform.   
"Watch it, you infidel!" He yelled to the crane operator. "Are you trying to kill me?" "I'm sorry my lord, but in this cavern, it's difficult to maneuv--"   
"Then you should be a bit more careful, shouldn't you?" Xizor hissed through his teeth.   
The operator nodded. "Yes, my lord." He quietly went back to work.   
Xizor smiled. It was good that his subordinates feared him.  
  
The buzzing grew louder in Callista's ears as she neared the hills. Squinting, she saw a crack in the hillside. "There," she whispered, and broke into a limping run. She recognized the buzzing now; it was the indication of the presence of clones. It was something she hadn't felt for over thirty years. And now...   
...what were clones doing here on Anasazi? Luke had told her about the destruction of the Spaarti cloning cylindars...they had been the only working facilities after the destruction of the Empire...hadn't they? She squeezed through the narrow opening, moved through the dark tunnels, wondered where she was going to end up...  
  
"That's all of them, my lord," Guri said with a bow of obeisance.   
Xizor nodded. "Good. Let's get out of here. My robes are getting wet."   
The workers left their equipment sitting where they had deactivated it, and headed for one of the two openings in the cavern. Xizor looked over his shoulder as he left, swearing he'd heard footsteps behind him. But no, he thought. Who would think to look down here...for anything?  
  
When Callista reached the clearing, she froze. It was a cloning chamber, all right. There were a dozen cylindars lining the walls, each holding a clone in different stages of development. She gasped.   
These were Falleen.   
These were Xizor. Anger and hatred welled in her heart. Xizor...the man that had taken her daughter...the man who had murdered her son... Her hand grazed the healing sore on her stomach, the place where he'd dictated the fatal stab that had killed Ben inside her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she remembered the feeling of his hands on her, and her own hands-- not wanting to do anything that she had done. This was too much. With a cry of fury, she called a windstorm of the Force, sent it whirling around her. She fell to her knees, clasping her hands to the side of her head, releasing all the dark, hateful feelings inside her at once.  
The cloning cylindars exploded, one by one, their contents spilling out in masses of underdeveloped flesh. She didn't care that the dark side was penetrating her to her core...she just want to kill, kill him as he had killed her son. She didn't notice until her storm had ended that she had caused the cavern ceiling to crumble over the entrances.   
She was trapped by her own anger.  
  
Xizor watched as Guri and his minions boarded the shuttle that had brought them to Anasazi. With the job done, they would be heading back to Coruscant. By now, his fleet must have arrived.   
Xizor smiled inwardly, imagining the horrified looks on the Republic officer's faces as they saw the dozens upon dozens of Black Sun battleships appear out of nowhere. It was going to be a spectacular battle, one that would be remembered for all time...   
Guri turned back to the Dark Prince, confused. "You're not coming back with us, my Lord?" she asked.   
Xizor shook his head. "I still have...unattended business to attend to."   
Guri easily saw through his facade and said, "It's about Skywalker's woman, isn't it? My Lord, why do you continue to do this? It's fruitless." There was anger--and perhaps the barest hint of jealousy, much to Xizor's amusement--in the HRD's voice as she spoke.   
Xizor held up one clawed finger. "That's where your wrong, my dear. You must have greater faith in my abilities. Callista will become my wife. You can count on that."   
Guri sighed, as if aware that she was not capable of changing his mind, and nodded in resignation. "Very well. I'll make sure the Republic fleet is thoroughly wiped out." Without another word, she turned and headed up the ramp, which closed behind her.   
Xizor waited until the shuttle had disappeared into the night sky, and headed back to the _Fallen Moon_. Where he would wait for Callista.  
  
_I sense much darkness in you...   
_The words of her master repeated in Callista's mind as she stood in the midst of the endless cavern, shrouded in pure darkness. Not a single shred of light shone, rendering her incapable of seeing anything. It barely registered, though. She kept listening to Djinn's old voice, silently chiding her for what she had done. _If you continue down the road you've already taken, you will become its slave...   
Forgive me,_ Master, Callista whispered back, knowing that Djinn would not respond. I had to do it. _This madman must be stopped once and for all. I had to do it, for me...and for Ben_... One hand instinctively went to the scar on her belly. She still felt the dull void where her son had once grown in, now long gone...   
_Everything you have learned will be for naught...   
You're scaring me, you're scaring everyone else around you. Do you have any idea how close to the dark side you are...   
_Leia's words mixed in with Djinn's, and in Callista's mind, she saw herself strike Leia in the MedCenter. Her frightened eyes, as she looked up at Callista, shocked at what she had done...   
Callista looked at the black blanket that surrounded her. Although she couldn't see them, she knew that pieces of the cloning cylinders lay scattered on the ground, along with pieces of newborn reptilian flesh. She had destroyed every last one of them, in revenge for her children. She had hoped it would make her feel better.   
And instead...she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.   
The clones were destroyed--not that it really mattered to Xizor, anyway, he probably had more hidden on Coruscant--and Ben was still dead. No amount of revenge would bring him back, no matter how hard she tried. _Ben's corpse in my dream... He's dead... It was that tiny bit of brutal truth that finally hit her--My son is dead, and there is nothing I can do about it. He's never coming back. I'll never get to hold him, never get to kiss him, to tell how proud I am to be his mother. Never...  
_--and everything that had happened to her in the past few weeks culminated within her, striking at her from all sides--   
--and finally released. Callista curled into a ball on the sticky ground, and began to cry. She cried for hours, her sobs mingled with shrieks, unable to stop the endless flow of tears that flowed down her grimy face. For perhaps the first time since her entrapment on the _Eye of Palpatine_, she had no hope left in her.   
And she no longer cared.   
"Fyorga?"   
A sweet, kindly voice--an old woman's voice--jerked Callista from her sobs. She turned her head, still remaining on her knees, to see Sonya standing behind her, clutching a flaming torch in one hand, bringing some much- welcome light in the chamber, illuminating the jagged glass pieces strewn on the ground.   
Her eyes looked down at Callista, shining with concern and love. "Fouyrhah gheuai, Fyorga?" the old crone asked.   
Callista nodded. She couldn't understand her, but her instincts said that Sonya was asking if she was all right. "I'm fine," she choked out, tears still running freely down her cheeks. "I'm just...tired, right now."   
Sonya nodded, and offered her a hand. "Kamaiya," she said.   
Callista hesitated, unsure of what the other was intending to do. What if it was a trap...   
"Kamaiya," she repeated, smiling.   
_Come with me..._   
A small flicker of hope blossomed in Callista's heart as she took the old woman's hand. They walked through the tunnel, Sonya's torch guiding them. Her hand remained clasped with Callista's, as if the old woman was afraid that she would lose her if she let go. Neither spoke, but Callista felt no tension between them. Emna had said that this woman was crazy, and had murdered her husband. The villagers of Semaj practically shunned her. No one seemed to care about her...   
Still, despite all that, Callista knew she could trust this woman. But where was she taking her?   
_Calthazar..._   
They reached a stairway that led down, and Sonya went first. Callista followed suit, bewildered that a stairway actually existed in these dark, uninhabited caves. She wondered if Xizor was aware of this before he brought his clones to Anasazi.  
As they walked down the crooked stone steps--they must have been centuries old, judging by the amount of cobwebs painting the ceiling and floor-- Callista could hear voices coming from the end of the stairway. Once they had reached the end, she understood why. A group of men and women--all clad in rough-looking brown robes that looked worn out with age and use, and indicating that they were not Armenia's lackeys--sat in a semi-circle, their whispers, both in Basic and Anasazi, wafting through the cold, stale cavern air. There must have been at least a hundred of them, and Callista wondered who they were. Sonya cleared her throat, and gestured toward Callista. "Theuroa tysah kuiea Fyorga," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. One of the men--handsome and in his early thirties--stood up and went over to the two women. His dark brown eyes seemed to look past Callista as he stared at her.   
"So, you are the Fyorga," he said, in perfect Basic. "The Angel of Light the heavens have sent from the stars to lead us."   
Callista was taken aback by his words. "L-Lead you? I don't understand..."   
"Surely, you know of the ancient prophecy foretold by the Shamars," the handsome man said. "She who comes from the stars will lead us when the Dark One returns from Raximidaj."   
"The Dark One?" _Arak... _she silently realized.   
"Allow me to introduce myself," the man said. "My name is Kieran. I am the leader of the Kerash underground movement."   
Slowly, things began to make more sense. "A rebellion," she said.  
Kieran nodded. "Sonya has told us about you, and we asked her to bring you here." He looked into Callista's eyes and nodded. "Yes...you are the Fyorga...the Angel of Light. Sonya was right."   
The old woman nodded, as if satisified by his statement. "I still don't completely understand," Callista said. Kieran smiled. "Please, sit down. We will explain everything."  
  
Leanna and Fett stood a mere ten feet apart from each other, eyes locked onto each other--one pair hidden from a Mandalorian mask--as the rain continued pouring from the darkened sky. A bright crackle of lightning illuminated the grayish-blackness, shrouding the two hunters in white. Leanna couldn't find the words that would justify what she saw. Fett was here, standing right in front of her. The man she had hunted for so long had finally shown his face. _This can't be happening..._   
"So, Fett," she finally said, making her voice sound as rough and cold as possible. A great rumble of thunder accompanied her words, giving it a more menacing edge. "Looks like I finally caught up with you." She studied the man for a moment, taking note of his battle-scarred armor, the mask that concealed his true identity--what did he look like under that mask?--the blaster at his holster, the one he was holding right now in both hands. A GK-765 blaster rifle, she saw, capable of shooting a hole through a building.   
This was not going to be an easy fight.   
"I see that the stories of you surviving the Sarlacc were true," she observed. "Impressive. Not many people who have been swallowed by Sarlacc escape and live to tell the tale."   
Fett's fingers tightened on his powerful weapon. "I am the only one to have escaped Sarlacc, old friend," he said, with no emotion at all in his voice. Just pure, calculated coldness. It sent a tremble down Leanna's spine. For the first time, she began to believe that maybe this man really deserved his reputation.   
"You know why I'm after you," Leanna said, taking two steps closer, clutching her blaster rifle as if it were the most important thing in her life. In a few seconds, it would be. Fett merely nodded. "I know," he said.   
"Where is she?" Leanna demanded sharply. Her mind returned to the past, Fett dragging her sister away, Llia's terrified wails... LET MY SISTER GO!   
The bounty hunter shrugged. "Don't know. Probably dead, for all I know. She was a little girl, Leanna, unable to survive two minutes alone in the real galaxy. That was years ago. Did you honestly think I still had her?"   
A cold chill coursed through Leanna's blood. All hopes of seeing her sister again and regaining the last vestiges of her family that had been lost to her quickly evaporated, crushed by Boba Fett's cruel words.   
Llia was gone. LLIA! A fury she had not felt for years arose within her, shutting out every other emotion in her body. She looked the bounty hunter in the eyes, who looked back in return. She couldn't see his face, but she knew he was smiling under the mask.   
"You know I'm going to kill you, Fett," Leanna said coldly, setting her blaster rifle to the KILL setting. "But before I do that, I want to ask one favor of you."   
Fett paused. "What?"   
"Remove your mask."   
More lightning appeared in the sky, almost striking one of the jungle trees. Fett shifted uncomfortably in his armor, his blaster rifle aimed squarely at Leanna's chest. If he wanted to, he could have fired right then and there and killed her. She wouldn't have had enough time to react...   
"Why?" he asked.   
"I've been after your for years," Leanna said. "And now that I have finally found you, I want to see your true face. I want to look into the eyes of my sister's murderer before I rip your throat out."   
Fett considered, rain pelting his armor, and nodded. Slowly, one hand--the other remaining on the rifle--went up to grasp the bottom of his Mandalorian helmet, never keeping his eyes off Leanna. The woman waited patiently, her body tensing. At last, she would finally see what this man truly looked like...   
The mask easily came off, clattering to the mud near Fett's feet. His eyes followed the mask's plummet...and then back to Leanna.   
He was ugly, like a deformed human--although not as bad as the mad scientist Dr. Evazan, whom Leanna had once met while on one of her bounty hunting missions. His nose was too large, his lips almost nonexistant. His face was scarred, as if a pot of acid had been thrown onto his skin (no doubt, the digestive acid of the Sarlacc). His eyes--a clear, shady blue-- were the only thing attractive about his face.   
Leanna merely nodded, easily hiding her disgust. "Very nice," she said.   
"Satisified?" Fett demanded, his voice vastly different without the mask on. More...human.   
Leanna Kai nodded, her finger slowly pressing against the trigger of her weapon. "Yep. Now it's time to die."   
A volley of red fire burst from the nozzle. Fett leaped and rolled, landing in the mud, the bolts sailing past him, one lightly singeing his bald head. The hunter cursed in his native tongue--which Leanna recognized as the language of Concord Dawn--and returned fire. Leanna's lightning-fast reflexes kicked in at the last minute, and she leaped backwards, twisting through the rain-drenched air. Lightning flashed spectacularly in the sky, almost touching her, and she landed on her feet, giving her opponent a grin that said, "Nice try."   
Fett stood, and pointed his left wrist in Leanna's direction. Nothing happened for a brief second, and Leanna paused, uncertain of what he was trying to do. A long extension of wire lanced from his gauntleted wrist, wrapping itself around her right leg. Fett tugged with all his strength, and Leanna felt her feet leave the ground. The world danced crazily around her as she struck the mud. Her vision blacked out, not helped by the raindrops flooding into her eyes. Suddenly, she felt a powerful lurch as Fett yanked her forth, bringing her closer to him.   
Which she could not allow. Thinking quickly, her mind whirring for ideas, she snatched her machete-- which had fallen beside her--and sliced into the steel wire as hard as she could. At first, it didn't cut through, but a second try hacked halfway throught the steel. She tried a third time, and this time was successful. Leanna rolled to her feet, and faced the bounty hunter. Fett was not taken aback at all by her escape, and was already moving on to the next plan. Orange-red fire shot from a flame projector he held in both hands. With a cry of surprise, Leanna jumped aside to avoid the fire, but managed to get burned in the thigh. A pained hiss escaped her lips, and she bit her tongue to stifle another cry. The flames had burned a hole in her gray pants and blackened her flesh. Mud mixed in with the wound, causing it to hurt even more.   
As Fett closed in on her, prepared to fire again, images burned into her mind: her brother, falling to the ground after being hit by shrapnel and debris falling from the air... Her little sister, and the tears that fell from her eyes as Leanna ran to save their brother.   
_I'll be back for you.   
Promise?   
Promise..._ Leanna found herself snarling, and turned on Fett, just as he prepared to fry her. Her fist smashed into his jaw, throwing him back. She heard a loud crack resound in the jungle, accompanied by a new wave of thunder.   
"Enjoy that, you sick, twisted bastard?" she shouted over the din, not even bothering to hide her smile of satisfaction. It wasn't nearly as satisfying as ripping his throat out, but it would do for now.   
Fett spat a tooth that had broken loose, one gloved hand going up to his jaw. A second later, he fired more flames in her direction. Leanna ducked, and the tree behind her fell victim to the fire. Slowly, it began spreading throughout the entire tree, and proceeded to engulf the one next to it. Leanna turned back to her opponent, glaring with as much anger as she could muster.   
"What are you trying to do, start a forest fire?"   
Fett smiled. "Something like that." He prepared to fire again, and Leanna made her next move. She ran for him, and kicked the fire projector out of Fett's hands. She followed with a second cuff to the face. Followed quickly by a third. And then a fourth. Fett stumbled against the trunk of a tree, bleeding from nose and mouth. His eyes went up to Leanna, full of pain and rage. Leanna saw the grenade launcher on his shoulder come to life. She began to run, knowing what was about to come--   
A single grenade fired from the launcher, aiming mercilessly toward the fleeing hunter. It exploded in mid-air, throwing Leanna into the air--and then a tree. All the air she had in her body left her in a rush as she smashed into the hard trunk. Her body fell, and she didn't even feel it as she hit the mud. Her limbs flopped almost lifelessly on her sides, unable to help her up. By the time she had regained some of her equilibrium back and looked up, Fett was towering over her, his blaster rifle pointed between her eyes.   
"I should have killed you a long time ago," the bounty hunter proclaimed. "Goodbye, Leanna."   
"Fett!"   
The new voice startled both hunters. Leanna's eyes looked behind her opponent to see Kam Solusar and Kirana Ti, both armed with their lightsabers. It was Kam who had spoken. "Get away from her!" the Jedi demanded. "Back away...nice and slowly."   
Fett turned to face the Jedi, unintimidated. Apparently, not even two Jedi Knights were enough to frighten off the most famous bounty hunter in the galaxy. "And who's going to make me, Jedi?" he asked.   
Leanna, who had found enough strength to stand herself up--groaning in pain as she did so--tapped the man on the shoulder. He turned to face her, eyes widening.   
"Me," Leanna said, as she sent her fist into Fett's already-shattered nose. He staggered, and she slammed the palms of her hands into his breastplate, throwing him off balance. Suddenly, just as he prepared to fall, an invisible force hammered into Fett, causing him to fly off his feet and sail uncontrollably through the air. Leanna cringed in sympathetic pain as he smacked into one of the burning trees and met the ground facefirst, knocked out cold. Leanna smiled at seeing the bounty hunter defeated, and withdrew one of her vibroblades. This gave her the perfect opportunity. She may never get a second chance...   
Kam must have sensed her intent, for he reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "No, Leanna!" he said. "Don't do it."   
"Why?" she snapped. "He's a murderer and a coward. He deserved to die!"   
"But not while he's unconscious," Kirana Ti said. "If you kill Boba Fett in cold blood, it will make you no worse than he is. To murder someone like that is the way of the dark side." "Well, I'm not a Jedi!" Leanna said. "And I don't care if killing him is bad or not, I'm going to do it."   
"Not while we're around," Kam said, a tone of threat in his voice, causing Leanna to hesitate. "Besides, we need him to tell us where Xizor is. If you kill him now, then you'll render this entire mission pointless."   
Leanna looked over at Fett's comatose body--oh, how she wished she could wring his neck for what he had done to her!--and sighed. The Jedi did have a point. Skywalker had come to Garkonis looking for information that would lead him to Xizor.   
"All right," she conceded. "I'll let him live...for now." _But trust me_, she thought, _when I say for now, because I plan on fulfilling my promise...   
_Kirana Ti nodded. "Then let's bring him back to the _Falcon_. Fett has some answering to do."  



	13. Retribution

Chapter 13  
  
"Many centuries ago," Kieran began, sitting at the head of the circle of Kerash, with Callista and Sonya off to one side, as they listened, "around the time of Creation, a pantheon of gods reigned the universe. They were gods who represented good and light. Their leader, the most powerful god of all, was what the ancient Kerash--and we to this day--call 'Sheherhera'."   
Callista tried pronouncing "Sheherhera" to herself, but found it almost impossible to do so. She wondered how these people were able to say it.   
"For centuries, they ruled in the kingdom of Raximidaj," Kieran continued, the torchlight bathing his face in orange light, "watching over the people of Ansazi. The Anasazi nomads were the first of their creation, and they treasured them above all other beings in the universe. The nomads built shrines to the gods and worshipped them. Every year, they would hold a feast in honor of Sheherhera. It is a tradition the Kerash continued well into this century.   
"But then...something went horribly wrong. Sheherhera's daughter, Arak, became corrupt. She became jealous of how the Anasazi revered her mother, and wished to be the leader of the pantheon. Darkness clouded her mind, and it grew worse when she threatened to kill her mother in front of all the other gods. Sheherhera hoped that Arak would listen to reason, and return to the light. But...that was not to be so."   
Callista listened to the story, intrigued by the mythology of these simple people. In all her life, she had never thought of the existence of gods in the universe. Her God had always been the Force. The Jedi in her time certainly considered it blasphemy to even think of the concept of deities whose powers and mystery rivaled those of the Force. A thought suddenly occured to her as Kieran spun his intriguing tale.   
What if the gods of this Sherherhera and the Force were...connected, somehow? She had a feeling she would soon find out.   
"Arak may not have been as powerful as her mother," Kieran said ominously, "but her powers far surpassed those of the other gods, considering she was the firstborn daughter of their leader. Over the years, her influence slowly began spreading to the other gods. She corrupted many of them, turned them to her ways, and encouraged them to revolt. She planned to murder her mother and take her place as ruler of the pantheon, and of Anasazi.   
"But Sheherhera knew...she knew. She called upon the spirit of the Shemra, the spirit of the first god of the pantheon. Shemra was the original creator of the universe, and of the pantheon. It has no form; it is not a man, nor a woman. No one--god or man--has ever seen it, but it always watches over all living creatures, even to this day. More powerful than even Sheherhera, she knew that she needed its strength in order to defeat the combined might of Arak and her minions.   
"'O Mighty Shemra!' she cried out to the heavens. 'Grant me the strength I need to defeat my daughter, and ensure the survival of the pantheon!'"   
Callista realized that she had been holding her breath. Slowly, she let it out, almost visualizing what Kieran was saying. She could see Sheherhera, magnificent in her white robes, standing amidst a tower of pillars in the heavenly world of Raximidaj, praying to Shemra. She could feel her desperation, her fear for the destruction of her fellow gods, her hope...   
_Hope..._   
"Shemra granted her and two other gods, her husband Corus and son Mairyus, the powers of the Trinity. When the three of them merged their powers together, it would grant them the ability to destroy Arak. For though Sheherhera was very powerful, it was difficult to kill a god, even for a fellow god. She couldn't do the deed alone.   
"The gods met on the plains of Kindora. A great battle erupted, killing many on both sides, and laying waste to much of Kindora. In the end, only Arak, Sheherhera, Corus, and Mairyus remained.   
"The three merged their powers, forming the Trinity foretold by the Shemra," Kieran continued. "Arak tried to fight them off, but they were too strong for her. They were not able to kill her, but rather managed to trap her in Raximidaj for all eternity, ensuring that she could never leave to rule over our universe. The entire world of Raximidaj was laid to waste, destroying all forms of life, and the Trinity was killed in the inferno. But...their goal had been reached. Arak could never leave Raximidaj.   
"Until now."   
The chamber grew even more quiet, as the Kerash rebels and Callista awaited the next segment of his tale with bated breath. Callista could hear her heart pulsating painfully in her ears.   
"After the inferno, Arak vowed that on the next eclipse--which would take centuries to arrive--she would be freed from the prison of Raximidaj, and would rule over her mother's kingdom, as she had long ago promised. It has been centuries now, and still she is trapped in the vortex...but it will not last for long." Kieran took a moment to take a deep breath, and continued. "According to our village sorceror, the eclipse will occur within anotehr week. Armenia has the Trinity she needs to bring Arak back."   
Callista nodded, thinking of Hope and Anakin. She knew from Armenia that they were the Bond. But who was the third...?   
"Armenia is foolish," one rebel said. "She believes that Arak will truly reward her for releasing her from Raximidaj. But she will only be destroyed with the rest."   
"So, where does the Angel of Light come into this?" asked Callista.   
Kieran smiled. "The Prophecy says that at the time of Arak's resurrection, the Shemra will send an angel from the stars to help us in our fight against the goddess of pure evil. You. The old stone tablets mention the Angel of Light, who will bring the Calthazar needed to defeat Arak once and for all."   
_Calthazar...   
_"What does Calthazar mean?"   
Kieran shrugged. "I do not know. It is an ancient Anasazi word, long lost to us. We were hoping that you would know what it was." The group remained silent for some time. "But I don't understand why she has lied to the people in Semaj," Callista suddenly said, in an attempt to break the unnerving quiet.   
"In order to begin the Ritual of the Coming," the handsome Kerash leader explained, "the Bond must be baptized in the blood of the Innocent...the Unknowing. The High Priest, Tsin, chose the village of Semaj as the source of the blood. Only the council knows of Arak's upcoming ascension. The rest of the Semaj villagers do not. They must be unknowing--innocent--in order to Armenia to use their blood to baptize the Bond."   
Kieran's words slowly started to sink in. Callista's breath shuddered. "She's going to butcher the entire village?" she said. Kieran nodded. "And that's where we come in. We must head over to Semaj as soon as possible and inform the villagers of Armenia's intent. If we can get there in time, their blood will be useless, and the Coming can not be performed...at least for now."   
_Or Armenia will just kill them for the fun of it_, Callista thought bitterly, but she kept that to herself.  
"We must go now," Kieran said as he began to rise. "The Kerash are no doubt on their way to Semaj to collect the blood."   
The rebels arose from their seating positions and began heading through a tunnel in the back of the chamber, as silent as graves. Callista remained in the back of the group, still collecting together everything Kieran had told her--   
When suddenly, she felt a strange feeling engulf her. Feelings raged through her body: desire, passion, an urge to go back to...   
Sonya turned back to her, a torch in her wasted hands. "Fyorga?" she said.   
Callista smiled, trying to snap out of it, and nodded. "I'll be there in a minute."   
The old woman nodded and followed after her Kerash companions. Callista looked over her shoulder, to the stairs. Something inside her told her to leave the cave, to return to the surface of Anasazi. Someone was waiting for her, waiting... Without resisting, Callista went in the opposite direction of the rebels, who didn't even notice her leave, and headed up the stairs.   
_Xizor...I'm coming...  
_  
Xizor waited patiently in the hangar bay of the _Fallen Moon_. He smiled, as his pheromones stretched across the jungle landscape, and toward the hills. He knew Callista would sense his desire to see her again, and would soon be in his arms again. The Falleen smiled.   
"I'm waiting for you, my pet," he whispered, as he headed back to his room, where he would wait for the Jedi woman. "I'm waiting..."  
  
"Thanks for bailing us out back there, Teneniel," Jacen said as he, Jaina, and Teneniel Djo, Queen Mother of the entire Hapes Cluster, left the Rimdarian asteroid prison and toward her personal shuttle.   
Teneniel nodded, and smiled down at the twins. "It took a lot of convincing, but after the Rimdarians learned that they had just arrested the children of the Republic's Chief of State--and that I was the Hapan Queen--they had no choice but to let you both off the hook." She watched as Jacen and Jaina headed up the ramp of the shuttle before following them. "Now, why exactly where you two so far away from home?"   
"Haven't you heard?" Jaina said. "Xizor's back...and meaner than ever. He forced the people of Coruscant to evacuate, or else he would kill our cousin, Hope."   
Teneniel nodded, pursing her lips together. "Yes...Isolder told me of the crisis on Coruscant shortly before he left Hapes. He took the entire Hapan fleet with him."   
Jacen and Jaina exchanged huge, lopsided grins they had inherited from their father, then looked up at Teneniel. "With the Hapans on our side," Jaina said confidently, "we'll be sure to kick Xizor's sorry amphibian tail."   
"Um...Jaina," Jacen said, nudging her brother with her elbow. "Xizor's a reptile...not an amphibian."   
Jaina shrugged. "Yeah, whatever. Same difference."   
Jacen sighed and flung her arms melodramatically in the air. "Why was I cursed with such a stupid sister?" he asked, to no one in particular.   
Teneniel chuckled. "Now, children, no fighting." She continued talking as she headed into the cockpit. "With the crisis on Coruscant, I'm sure Leia would want to make sure you both are as safe as possible. So, I'll take you both to Dathomir with me and spend the night on Singing Mountain."   
"Oh, great," Jaina muttered, remembering the last time she had visited Dathomir. It had almost gotten her entire family killed. "Do we have to--"   
Jacen elbowed her in the arm, just hard enough to hurt, and interrupted, "We'd love to go to Dathomir, Teneniel. Thanks."   
As Teneniel prepared to take off, Jaina glared at her brother. "What did you do that for?" she snapped. "You know how much I don't like that place. Remember what happened to Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista?"   
"But that was a long time ago," Jacen pointed out. "The Nightsisters are gone. Besides...I've been wanting to meet Tenel Ka for quite some time."   
Jaina sighed and rolled her eyes. Anakin had told them both about his meeting with Tenel Ka on Dathomir. The girl had captured him and claimed him as her new husband--much to the dismay of their mother (although their father had found it funny). She and Jacen had met the young warrior girl briefly, but didn't get enough time to get to know her, considering the repeated Nightsister attacks on the Singing Mountain Clan.   
"Look, I hate to burst your bubble," she said plainly to Jacen, "but in case you forgot, we're busting out of here as soon as we land. We need to rescue our cousin and brother, remember?"   
Jacen looked uneasy. "But, Jaina, we already tried it...and look what happened. We had to serve prison time. And meet big, scary-looking people. Plus, the food...Yuck!" He wrinkled his nose and gagged at the thought of eating cooked granite slugs and thorn mushrooms.   
"That's because we weren't being careful," Jaina said. "We'll do better next time. Look...I can't just sit here, knowing that our family's out there, in danger. We have to do something."   
"You do not have much time," a voice said from behind. Jacen and Jaina whirled around to see a small, red-haired girl emerge from the shadows, draped in a miniature green reptile suit. Her smoke-gray eyes-- the same color as Aunt Callista's--focused primarily on Jacen.   
"Um...hi, Tenel Ka," Jacen said, slightly stammering. He tried to straighten out his unkempt hair, causing Jaina to snicker. Her brother was practically drooling over the warrior girl. "Greetings, Jacen," Tenel Ka said, then nodded at Jaina. "And Jaina." Jaina offered her a smile. "Nice to see you again, Tenel Ka. Sorry, we didn't know you were here..."   
"I was practicing my stealth," Tenel Ka said. "Apparently, I was quiet successful." She twirled a meter long staff in one hand. "When I heard of your predicament in the Rimdarian System, I asked Mother if I could accompany her. Can't you Solo children ever stay out of trouble?"   
Jaina grinned. "Trouble runs in our family."   
"Yes, I see." Then she surprised them both by asking, "How is my husband doing?"   
"Your...oh, you mean Anakin?"   
Tenel Ka nodded. "Yes. How is he doing? Has he remained faithful to me?" Jacen slapped his forehead, and Jaina laughed.   
"He's doing fine...okay, that's a lie. He's in trouble. Someone...kidnapped him and Hope."   
Tenel Ka's eyes widened, one of the few times Jaina had ever seen her emote. She never quite understood why the warriors of Dathomir tried to mask their true feelings in front of foreigners.   
"They stole my husband from me?" she said. "But...how? I captured him fair and square! Who are these ruffians, and where are they, so I can defeat them in fair combat?" "Um...I wish we knew," Jaina said. "We don't even know where to start looking."   
"Oh, yeah, brilliant idea, Janey," her brother replied sarcastically. "Just a minute ago, you were saying, 'Hey, let's go save Annie and Hope. Yaaaaay!' and you don't even know where to begin looking. Boy, that's smart."   
"Hey, at least I'm trying!" Jaina said. "Unlike some people here!"   
"Enough," Tenel Ka rebuked, sounding like a scolding parent. "Fighting amongst ourselves will not get my husband back. If we are to find these people, we must let the Force flow through us." She paused. "Of course, once I find them, I will rip their arms off and stick them up their bottoms if they dare harm my poor husband." Jaina smiled. "Now you're talking." Tenel Ka's voice dropped to a whisper. "Wait until we arrive at Singing Mountain. Then we can plan our next move."   
The shuttle streamed into hyperspace.  
  
"Come on, this way!"   
Llia panted as she pushed through the tangle of jungle gnarltrees, with Anakin and Hope not far behind, both worn to exhasution and almost ready to collapse. The early signs of morning were already in the sky, with reddish-orange fingers of sunlight streaming through the dark night sky.   
"How long have we been running?" Anakin said between several breathless gasps. Sweat was streaming down his face, and into his eyes, almost blinding him.   
"A few hours, I think," Hope said back, her throat parched. She had not had anything to drink in forever, it seemed. "Llia, how close are we to Semaj? Are we almost there?"   
"I think so!" Llia replied, holding a branch aside so they could pass. "We should be there in another hour or so."   
Hope groaned. "Another hour? I'll die before then!"   
"Well, what would you rather do, munchkin?" Llia demanded. "Go back to the Kerash in that dark, smelly dungeon?"   
Hope muttered something under her breath, and continued running. _Keep thinking of Semaj,_ she told herself. _And how you'll get to see Mommy again. And then you can have all the food and water you want. Just...keep...running...  
_ Hope cried out as she tripped over her own feet and hit the mud, scraping her knee. _Great_ she thought. _Just another owie to add to my list of owies. Force, why do you hate me so much_? Anakin helped her up, and silently urged her to keep running. He clearly felt as miserable as she did, and yet he still had hope. Hope that they would finally be free of the Kerash, that maybe, after everything that had gone wrong, they might finally have a chance-  
--which was quickly shattered when someone stepped in their way, blocking their path. Llia, Hope, and Anakin were literally knocked back in surprise, and all ended up on the ground. The Kerash had found them. His companions slowly emerged from all sides, trapping Hope and her friends in a black-cloaked circle of death. She recognized one of them as Armenia.   
"So, you dare tried to escape from the Kerash?" Armenia said, half-amused, half-irritated. "Do you not appreciate our hospitality? Is that it?"   
Hope was the first to stand. She glared at the taller woman. "Why do you have to be so mean to us?" she asked. "What have we ever done to you?"   
"Mean?" Armenia seemed genuinely surprised. "We have never been mean to you. Cruel, yes. Merciless, yes. But never mean. I'm surprised you think such nasty thoughts."   
She stepped out of the circle, bringing herself closer to the kids than Hope would have liked. "I am sorry you think of me in such a manner. But we need the Bond. And that happens to be you."   
"Look, if it's me you want, then let Annie and Llia go," Hope begged. Anakin prepared to utter a protest, but she silenced him with her mind. "Let them live, at least...please..."   
Armenia sighed, shaking her head. "Poor, foolish child. You see, Anakin is part of the Bond as well. He is every bit as essential to freeing Arak from Raximidaj as you. And as for Llia,"--she glared emerald knives at the ten- year-old as she said her name--"I will deal with her myself. She is long overdue for a purification...which I will personally administer." Hope's heart sank. She looked over at Llia with frightened eyes, and saw that the older girl was trying not to let her fear show. She wasn't even close to being successful. "Take them away," Armenia said.  
  
Callista stopped when she reached the entrance to the _Fallen Moon_. Her eyes curiously noted the large hole in the ship's hull, near the hangar bay--_Had been there an earlier battle while I was gone?_--before turning to the ramp that had already been extended. As if Xizor knew she was coming...and waiting for her.   
Callista sighed as she tried to collect herself. She knew what the Dark Prince of Black Sun was trying to do. Apparently, he was not willing to give her up, and would marry her, no matter what it took. And she couldn't resist.   
_My son...he killed my son... But to feel his arms around my body again, feel his lips caress my cheeks. I love him...   
No! I love Luke! But I love Xizor as well...   
_Callista headed up the ramp, her decision made. She knew exactly where Xizor was waiting, and he reached his private quarters within ten minutes. The door had already been opened. Heaving a deep sigh of relief, she entered the bedroom.   
And there, clad in his finest purple-red robes, was Xizor himself. The Falleen's back was turned to her, quietly humming a strange alien tune to himself. Callista pondered that for a minute, feeling some of his mental power over her soften. If she had had her lightsaber with her, she could have struck him down at that moment, and that would have been the end of that...   
Xizor turned, not at all surprised to find her standing behind him. In one hand, he held two glasses, and a bottle of Corellian champagne in the other. His eyes met Callista's. "Hello, Callista," he said.   
Callista smiled in return. "Hello, my love..."  
  
The Galactic Voyager traveled through hyperspace, accompanied by both fleets of the Verpine and Barabel races. Convincing the Verpine and Barabel populations to join forces to end their war and fight Black Sun had taken much less effort than it had to convince the Hive Queen and King Mornoch. Apparently, both sides had grown sick and weary of the endless fighting, and were more than relieved to see the peace treaty signed by both leaders. The hard part was over.   
All that was left now was to stop Black Sun. And for the first time, Leia felt that they truly had a chance. She felt Han's arm snake around her waist from behind, and she allowed a satisfied moan to leave her lips. "Feeling better?" Han asked.   
Leia nodded as she looked around their spacious room. "Much better, thank you," she said, as she twisted her head to kiss him. "I actually managed to accomplish something. For the past few weeks, I have felt so...useless. And I'm supposed to be the leader of the New Republic!"   
"It wasn't your fault," Han said. "There wasn't anything you could have done for Hope and Anakin. You fought the best you could."   
Leia shook her head. "No, I didn't. At our apartment...when I was fighting Armenia...I froze. I had the perfect opportunity to kill her, and I didn't take it. I was just afraid to take another life." She shut her eyes as her mind replayed her words: the fear in Armenia's eyes, Leia's lightsaber as she prepared to strike her down..."You know how many times Luke has warned that anger leads to the dark side. And that's exactly what I was feeling when I was fighting her. And because I didn't have the stomach to kill her, our son was taken away from us."   
There were tears in her eyes as she spoke. Han gently turned her around, so that she was facing him. "Don't you say that, Leia, because it's not true," he said, cupping her chin in his hand, wiping the tears that fell down her cheeks. "You did the right thing. I don't want you, or anyone else in our family, going to the dark side."   
Through the tears, Leia managed to smile. "Hey, wasn't it you who once said that the Force was nothing more than a 'hokey religion'?"   
Han chuckled, slightly embarrassed at the reminder. "Well...I've learned a lot more about it since then. And I know it's real. Because I see it in you. I see it in our kids. I see it in Luke, and C..." He stopped.   
Leia nodded, and looked away. She knew why he had hesitated. "You're worried about Callista, aren't you?" she asked.   
"Yeah," Han said. "I just...I mean, I'm also mad at her for what she said to us, but...she's still our family. And the last time we saw her, she was definitely certifiable."   
Leia rested her head on his shoulder, longing the comfort of her husband. "I know. I hope she's all right, wherever she is right now."   
"You know," he suddenly said, hands reaching up to touch her arms. "Why are we standing here, moping around? I mean, we just managed to do something no one could do for twenty years. We actually managed to stop the fighting between the Verpines and Barabels. We should be celebrating, not crying...you deserve it. You shouldn't be all worked up like this."   
Leia smiled sadly, wishing it could be that easy. She kept thinking of Anakin, and Hope, and Callista...how they had all been taken away from her, spread to the farthest corners of the galaxy, where she could never find them. "I don't really feel like celebrating right now," she said. "Not without my family."   
Han offered her a devious smile. "Well, I have something in mind."   
"Really?" she said in an amused manner. "And what exactly are you planning, Han Solo?"   
Han leaned in and whispered, sounding oh-so-seductive, "I'll give you a little hint. It involves taking our clothes off."   
Leia gasped in mock-surprise, feeling a good deal of the tension go away at that moment. "Why, Han, you're not trying to seduce me, are you?" Han grinned--that famous, lopsided grin of his--and prepared to say something else, when a officer's voice erupted from the speaker in the ceiling.   
"Madame President?" Leia groaned at the interruption.   
"Yes?" "We have reached the Coruscant System, and are prepared to drop out of hyperspace."   
"We're on our way," she said, and looked back at her husband, looking so handsome in his rugged state. "Looks like we'll have to continue this some other time." "Anything you say, Your Worship," Han replied. The two left their room and headed for the control bridge, hand in hand, feeling more jubilant and relaxed than they had in a long time.   
They greeted the officers on the bridge, just as the starlines on the viewscreen reverted back into small white pinpricks of light in space. The _Galactic Voyager_ and the Barabel/Verpine fleet left hyperspace, finally home--   
--and fell straight into a nest of chaos. Leia gaped in horror as the mass of starships and wreckage gathered around the outer edge of the system: Mon Calamari cruisers, Corellian corvettes, and Hapan Battle Dragons--Isolder must have arrived, she realized--were being pushed back by a mighty fleet of bone-white Imperial Star Destroyers, which was alive of thousands of TIE fighters that hammered upon the Republic and Hapan battleships.   
Turbolasers sailed through the black, airless realm of space, criss-crossed with laser fire from enemy and ally fighters. The Black Sun fleet.   
"What the hell is going on?" Han said, almost shouting.   
"Looks like we're about to find out," Leia said, pointing toward the destroyers. "If Xizor wants a fight to the death, then he's going to get one. Open fire!"  
  
Cray was completely unprepared for what awaited her in the Coruscant System. No sooner was the _Shapeshifter_ out of hyperspace did her eyes fell upon the massive orbital battle taking place far from the planet. "Looks like Xizor means business, now," she said to herself, gritting her teeth. She had hoped to find Skywalker amidst the Republic ships. Now, it looked like she never would.   
Her single hand piloting the controls, Cray brought the_ Shapeshifter_ closer so she could view the heat of the battle. Star Destroyers--dozens of them-- were pummeling the Republic warships. TIE fighters launched from their bays to intercept the X-wings Y-wings the Republic had at their disposal.   
_Things look bad_, Cray thought, just as she watched a third fleet come out of hyperspace. More Republic ships--including some of Barabel design, she recognized. Almost immediately, the new fleet fell upon the nest of Star Destroyers, adding their weapons fire. The odds seemed more even, now. And they were about to get better. Cray let out a whoop of challenge as the _Shapeshifter_ barreled into the center of the fighting, blowing a TIE fighter into space dust. Its companions took notice of her ship and began firing, their laser blasts bouncing off the Shapeshifter's shields. "This is gonna be fun," she said with a grin.  
  
A bright light surrounded Luke, so powerfully bright that it almost blinded him. He saw Callista's form emerge from the brilliance, her arms held out toward him, awaiting him. Luke ran for her, overcome by tremendous joy as he prepared to embrace her--   
--and woke up. The light vanished, as did his beautiful wife. He looked around him and saw that he was lying on a large, grassy plateau, his hands bandaged up. His jumpsuit was wet, and as his eyes met the grayish-white sky, he realized that it had been raining a moment ago. And as he turned his head, he saw the _Millennium Falcon,_ the ship Han had treasured for a good deal of his life, lying in ruins, smoke rising from the charred metal corpse. And in an instant, he remembered everything that had happened. The blood running from the palms of his hands, from where he had been crucified by the Nightsisters. The circle of fire. Callista bursting through the hungry flames, her arms bleeding. Her final words. _I'm sorry Luke. I couldn't stop her...   
_Cilghal's large-eyed face hovered into view, startling him. "Welcome back, Master Skywalker," she said, and Luke could feel her relief.   
"What happened?" he stammered, pushing himself up by his elbows, but the Calamarian gently set him back down.   
"Stigmata," Cilghal explained. "Victims of crucifixion sometimes get it every once and a while. Their wounds open up, and bleed without warning. But I managed to stop most of the bleeding."   
One flippered hand traced gently over one bandaged hand. "You're lucky the Nightsisters didn't plant the spikes in your wrists, or else..." She couldn't finish her sentence. Luke smiled and nodded. "Thank you," he whispered. "What happened to the _Falcon_?"   
"It was Boba Fett," Cilghal said coldly, anger clear in her voice. "He planted an explosive in the _Falcon_'s engines. The ship can be repaired, but until that happens, it will remain on Garkonis for quite some time. We tried using the _Falcon_'s comm several times, but no one has responded." She hesitated, as if fearing that they would be stranded on Garkonis. "Fett...attacked Kyp and Tionne, but they'll be all right. They're resting right now." Luke sighed as the news sank in. He laid his head back on a ground, hissing in pain as the back of it struck a rock. "So, Leanna was right," he said. "Fett is here." He looked around, and saw that Leanna--as well as Kam and Kirana Ti--were gone. "Where is she?" "She went after Fett herself," Cilghal said. "I told Kam and Kirana Ti to go look for her. They should be back momentarily."   
As if on cue, the two Jedi students returned to the Jrinjan Plateau, with Leanna in tow--who was dragging an unconscious Boba Fett behind her on a stun-leash. Luke immediately got up, despite Cilghal's protests.   
"Go make sure Kyp and Tionne are protected," he commanded. The Calamarian nodded as she got her lightsaber out and rushed to the two Jedi, who were resting quietly on the ground. The other students in the area tensed, ready for the bounty hunter to attack. "Don't worry," Leanna said, grunting as she pulled the armored bounty hunter through the wet grass. "He's out. He won't hurt anyone...although he's as heavy as a wampa. I dragged him through practically the entire jungle. He'd better thank the Maker he's got all that armor on, or else..." She whistled.   
"That's the famous Boba Fett?" one of the younger students said. "I wonder what he looks like under that mask." Leanna shook her head. "No, trust me, you don't want to see what he looks like. For your own good."   
"Kam and I found them fighting in the jungle," Kirana Ti explained as she walked over to Luke. "Leanna Kai is quite a capable fighter."   
Leanna grinned at the comment, as she rested Fett's inert form on the hull of the _Falcon_. Luke saw that her thigh had been badly burnt, and bruises covered her entire face. She gave him a grin that oozed with confidence. "I'll be fine, Skywalker," she assured him. "The women in my family are tough. How are you feeling?"   
"Better," Luke said, as he eyed Boba Fett. "Much better now. Hopefully now, we'll get some answers about Xizor."   
Luke strode over to Leanna and Fett, flanked by Kirana Ti and Kam, along with most of the rest of his students who were armed with their lightsabers. Luke himself was unarmed. He doubted that even Fett would be willing to tangle with over two-dozen Jedi. Leanna banged the top of his helmet with the butt of her rifle. "Hey, Sunshine! Time to wake up!" She gripped the helmet with both hands and yanked it rudely off his head. Fett groaned as he stirred awake, blinking. He looked around at the Jedi surrounding him, and finally at Luke.   
"Well, if it isn't the legendary Luke Skywalker," he said. His voice sounded flat and dull, but Luke could sense that he was amused. "The last time I saw you, you were about to be fed to the Sarlacc on Tatooine."   
The corners of Luke's mouth developed into a smile. "And the last time I saw you, you _were_ fed to the Sarlacc." He leaned in closer to the bounty hunter, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I think you know why we're after you. Where is Xizor?"   
"Haven't seen him in weeks," Fett replied. "The last time I saw him, I was in his headquarters on Coruscant, delivering that little bratty girl to him."   
_Bratty girl...  
_"You mean Hope?" Luke said, feeling his anger slightly surface.   
Fett nodded. "Xizor promised me two million credits if I brought your daughter to him, alive. She would be used as a ransom, to force the New Republic to hand Coruscant over to Black Sun." He paused. "Did it work, by any chance?"   
Luke glared at the bounty hunter. "Where is his headquarters at?"   
Fett shrugged. "I forgot. It won't matter to you, anyways. If he succeeded in driving the Republic from Coruscant, he will have abandoned his base by now, and moved over to the Imperial Palace. It looks like the good guys have finally met their match."   
"Don't you have any scruples at all, Fett?" Luke demanded, no longer angry, just regretful.   
Luke sighed. "Why do you do this, Fett? What were you thinking, trying to help that madman? Do you honestly think he'll be a better ruler than my sister? And, to make things sure, you even knowingly risked my daughter's life! I just want to know...why you're so determined to put an end to the Republic."   
"No reason," Fett said. "Neither Black Sun nor the New Republic mean anything to me. I am a bounty hunter, Skywalker, and I do what a bounty hunter does best. I get a bounty, I find it, I capture it, I deliver it, I get paid. That's all there is to it. I have nothing against the Republic at all. Had they offered me a bounty to find and capture Xizor, I would have accepted. It doesn't matter who I'm serving, just as long as I get paid. It's my job, Skywalker."   
Luke released another sigh, the bounty hunter's words repeating in his head. Fett did have a point, he realized. He apparently could care less about the Republic's war with Black Sun. In the end, the only thing that mattered to him was the credits. He nodded and prepare to say something else--when a wave of coldness hit him. He staggered back, his breath leaving him, and he saw the other Jedi fall to their knees, their hands clutching their chests.   
A battle.   
He saw a battle in space. Exploding ships, screaming TIE fighters, the flash of laser fire--   
--and then nothing. Luke tried to regain his breathing, and he weakly helped Cilghal to her feet. The other Jedi began staggering back up, all having felt the same thing.   
Leanna stared at him curiously, having felt nothing at all. Boba Fett seemed amused. "What was that all about?" Leanna asked.   
"Black Sun," Luke said between gasps. "Xizor sent his entire fleet to the Coruscant System. He plans to wipe out the Republic ships."   
"We have to get to Coruscant," Kam said.   
"But how?" Dorsk 81 asked. "The _Falcon_ isn't repaired yet."   
"Thanks to you-know-who," Leanna added, giving Fett a dirty look. Luke looked down at the bounty hunter, and an idea came to mind. "The _Falcon_ may be damaged...but we still have a way off this planet." Everyone looked at him, obviously confused. Even Leanna.   
"How, Master Skywalker?" asked Streen.   
Luke grinned as he ignited his lightsaber and turned to Fett, the green- white blade just barely touching the Mandalorian mask. "Tell us where your ship is," he said.  
  
"I have been waiting for you, Callista," Xizor said as he popped open the cork of the champagne bottle. He poured the thin red liquid into both glasses, and set them down on the crystal table. "It has been days since I have last seen you. With all these Kerash running around, I was worried that something horrible had happened to you."   
Callista could practically taste the pheromones oozing from the Dark Prince. It surrounded her in an invisible haze, clouding her thoughts, her judgement, making her focus on only one thing: Xizor's incredible, muscular body, and how much she wanted to touch it. _No! Don't even think of touching that Hutt slime! He killed my son...He killed my son...   
_Xizor's moved closer to Callista, closer than she liked, and traced his index claw over the cut on her forehead, from where Armenia had punched her in the arena. "You're hurt, my dear," he said, in a concerned voice. His orange-yellow eyes penetrated hers. "Are you all right?"   
Callista nodded, and tried to smile, feigning innocence. "I'm fine, darling," she said. _But not as fine as I'm gonna be once I'm done ripping your heart out...  
_ "That's good," the Falleen said, as he retrieved the two wine glasses from the table. He handed one to Callista, who accepted it, and held his high in the air. "To us...and the rise of the new Black Sun."   
Callista lifted her glass, clinking it with Xizor's. "To us," she said, and sipped her drink. It tasted extremely sour and nasty on her tongue. She was not much of a wine-drinker; the last time she had drank it had been at her wedding, and she had not enjoyed it then. Xizor gulped down the wine, and nonchalantly tossed the empty glass against the wall, causing it to shatter.   
"Now, what do you say we go lie down for a while? Have ourselves a little...fun?" Callista almost said yes. Her body desired it like nothing else in the galaxy. She looked at the Dark Prince from head to toe: his burning reptilian eyes--which still looked strangely sexy--the single black ponytail that ran down behind his bald head, his strong arms, his beautiful lips...   
But her will fought back.   
_Don't do it! Don't sleep with the man who murdered your son! Think of Luke! Of Hope and Ben, of how Xizor hurt them all...   
_"Um...I have a headache," Callista blurted out, not sure of what else to say. It was a lousy lie, and they both knew it.   
Xizor sighed and shook his head. "I'm disappointed," he said, in that smooth, gorgeous voice that turned Callista's legs into water. "Do you not trust me, Callista? Have I not been good to you?" He paused. "Are you still upset that I ordered to have your son killed? Do you still hold a grudge against me for that?"   
_Yes! Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, you rancor-kissing bastard! My son was innocent in this, and you took him away from me! I swear by the Force, once I'm no longer under your thrall, I'm going to...   
_"No," Callista replied, lowering her eyes.   
"You're lying," Xizor pointed out, lifting her chin with his fingers, almost scratching her with his sharp claws. "I can always tell when someone is lying. I see anger in your eyes, pet. I can understand that, but you must forget about your child and move on with your life." Callista felt the tears start to come. She angrily pushed them back. She was not going to cry now, not in front of this horrible man. "I-I-I can't do that," she stuttered, and in her mind, she saw the knife go through her stomach again. "What you did...how can you expect me to just forget about it?"   
Xizor let out a sigh--almost sounding angry--and let go of her chin. "Callista, when I was younger, I lost my entire family to the Imperials. They and two-thousand other Falleen on my homeworld were wiped out because Vader felt the planet needed to be 'sterilized'. Everyone I knew and loved-- my mother, my father, my uncle, my siblings--died needlessly and in agony."   
Callista didn't answer, merely looking away. She almost felt a twinge of sympathy for the Dark Prince...which only lasted a moment.   
"For a long time, it hurt," Xizor continued. "I blamed Vader for my loss, as you blame me now for killing your son. But after a while, I got over it. I learned that wallowing in it would do nothing for me. It would not bring my family back from the dead. Eventually, I forgot about them and continued on with my life. You should do the same, too."   
Callista's tiny glimmer of sympathy for Xizor's loss went away immediately at those words. How dare he tell her to forget about what he had done to her son! She focused on Xizor's chest, and wished that her lightsaber was with her. In just five seconds, she could have easily sliced him in half... But she felt his allure wash over her again like a blanket, and her anger at him vanished. She looked away from his chest, and at his lips...  
"You're right, darling," she whispered. "Ben's death was necessary. If we are to marry and have children of our own...I cannot carry Luke's child."   
Xizor nodded, satisified, and kissed her gently on the forehead. Callista's body ached at the touch; she wanted more. She wanted to feel his tongue in her mouth again...then pushed the thought away with disgust.  
"You and I are going to spend so many wonderful years together," Xizor said soothingly as his long, black tongue licked her ear, sending a tickling sensation through her head. "Victory is within our reach. At this moment, my fleet has arrived at Coruscant, tearing the Republic ships apart."   
A silent alarm went off in Callista's head. The Republic! she thought, remembering the hundreds of ships leaving Coruscant when she and Cray had left for Anasazi. _They're in danger_--   
She moaned as Xizor's hands wrapped around her stomach, lifting her shirt up as he caressed her bare skin. It was a strange, ecstatic feeling, and she immediately forgot about the Republic. She took Xizor's hands in hers, squeezing tightly. "That feels good," she whispered.   
"You like it?" Xizor said, moving away from her ear, his tongue flicking out and rubbing alongside her cheek. "Because I have so much more to offer you. Things that your vaunted husband could never hope to give you..."   
_My son...He killed my son... Think of Luke...   
_"Yes!" Callista said, on the verge of screaming. "Show me what you can do, Xizor." Xizor grinned, as his tongue forced its way into Callista's mouth. Their hands intertwined, and her lips moved up to kiss him.   
"I love you, Xizor," she whispered.   
"Of course you do." Their lips joined...  
  
Callista cheered as she caught the bolo-boll in mid-air with the Force, letting it dangle impressively in the air. A wave splashed into her, getting her bathing suit completely wet. "Nice catch!" Han said, also in the water, chuckling as Callista caused the bolo-ball to sway back and forth in the air by crooking her index finger to the left, then to the right. After a while, he asked, "Um...are you gonna throw it back anytime soon?"   
"Oops, sorry!" Callista said over the roar of the beach waves, and sent the ball back toward Han with her mind. "Let's see if you can catch that!"   
Han tried to leap into the air to retrieve, but he ended up slipping and crashing into the water, creating a large splash that disturbed several balloon-like fabool drifting in the air. The bolo-ball sailed high into the sky, and as Han got back up, it fell and bounced right off his head. Callista burst out laughing, as did Luke and Leia, who were talking amongst themselves on the sandy shore. Hope, and Anakin were busy building a sand castle together, while Chewie was showing Jacen, and Jaina a three-foot clamshell he had found in the ocean. Threepio and Artoo were strolling along the shore, with the golden protocol droid complaining about sand in his servomotors.   
They were celebrating Hope's second life-day. She had chosen to go to the mostly-uninhabited world of Dantooine, and everyone was having a blast. Callista, in particular, was enjoying the beach. It had been so long since she had seen the ocean--since she had left Chad, at least--and she loved being amongst it again. Especially with her family.   
"Okay, I think I've had enough playing bolo-ball for one day," Han said with an embarrassed smile, as he headed back to shore. Callista leaped into the water and swam, her eyes open so she could see what kinds of life-forms lived in Dantooine's salty waters. She saw a school of zebra-striped fish stream along, paying no heed to her as she swam. Pink, red, orange, and green plankton grew on the ocean ground, looking like an underwater rainbow. _  
_ After half an hour of swimming and meeting with the local flora and fauna of the Trg'chka Ocean, Callista left the water and returned to shore to rejoin her family. She saw that Leia was serving Alderaanian kuthka-cherry pie.   
"Hungry, Callista?" she asked, handing her a slice of pie. "I hope you like it. I made it myself."   
"Leia, cooking?" Han joked. "Now that's a scary thought." He laughed as his wife playfully punched him in the arm.   
"For your information, I happen to be an expert in cooking," Leia protested. "It's just that with my job, and rarely ever being home, I have very little time to do anything that normal housewives do."   
"Well, I'm sure it's delicious," Callista said, as she dug a spoonful of the pie and ate it. It tasted sweet--maybe a little too sweet for her, but still good.   
"See? I'm still alive. So, it can't be too bad!"   
"Gee, that's so sweet, Callista," Leia said, and the four adults laughed.   
"Mommy! Mommy!" Hope shouted. "Come and look at the sand castle we built!" Callista hurried over to her daughter, and stopped to admire her talent for construction. The sand castle was almost an exact replica of the Great Temple on Yavin 4. "Very good work, Hope, my darling," she said as she hugged the little girl. "I'm very proud of you."   
"Hey! I helped!" Anakin reminded her, holding up a shovel and pail in both hands as proof.   
"Oh, yeah, he did help," Hope said reluctantly. "A little."   
Anakin gave her a dirty look. Hope winked at him, and he laughed.   
"Well, I'm proud of both of you," Callista said, as she added Anakin in her embrace. "You two are quite the team. And that's the highest compliment I can give." The two kids blushed, and smiled at each other. "Enjoying your life-day?" Callista asked as mother and daughter lovingly rubbed noses together.   
Hope giggled and nodded. "This is the best life-day I've ever had!" she exclaimed. "Thanks, Mommy. You're the greatest." She paused. "And that's the highest...uh...c...what was that big word you used again?"  
Callista smiled, and kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart."   
"Hey, Annie! Hope!" Jaina shouted. "Come and take a look at this clamshell Chewie found! I think we just found this big, huge pearl!"   
At the mention of finding treasure, Hope and Anakin squirmed free from Callista's arms and headed over to the Wookiee's amazing discovery. As she stood, she heard Luke whistle from behind. "That's pretty impressive," he said as he moved to stand beside her, gazing down at the sand castle. "Our daughter is turning out to be quite the genius." "Yes, she is," Callista faced him and gripped his hands. She pressed her nose to his and smiled, longing to kiss him. "It's so strange, my love. After all we've been through in the past year, it feels that my life is finally perfect."   
"Perfect? How so?" He put his hands on her hip and pulled her closer.   
Callista smiled. "Ghosts can't have all of this," She made a wide gesture that encompassed her entire family. "I'm free now, with my powers back. I'm married to the most wonderful man in the galaxy, and now I have a beautiful little girl. Life couldn't get any better for me."   
"Oh, but it can." Luke smiled mischieviously. "You know, as soon as Hope was born, I wanted to have a boy next. A brother for her to play with, whenever Han and Leia's kids weren't around. Just think...then we'll blessed with a son and a daughter."   
Callista liked the idea. She rested her head on her husband's shoulder, already contemplating names for their future son. "What would we name him?" she asked.   
Luke thought about that for a moment. "How about...Ben?"   
Callista's head came up, surprised at his choice. "Ben?" "Sure. The name of my master, the man who first introduced me to the Force. I think that'd be a perfect name for our boy."   
Callista said the name over and over again in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more it began to seem right. "Yeah," she said. "I like it. Ben Skywalker...it'll be perfect." She wrapped her arms around Luke and hugged him, relishing every second of it. "Oh, Luke, I love you so much. You'll always be the perfect man for me."   
"And you'll always be the perfect woman for me," Luke said. "You and no other." They kissed, and the beach seemed to disappear, Luke's final words echoing in Callista's mind before reality began to return.   
  
_You and no other..._  
The memory vanished, and Callista found herself back in Xizor's room, in the _Fallen Moon_. Her lips were just to touch the Dark Prince's. She could already feel his touch in her mouth, as if searching for something. Images flashed in her mind: of the guards shoving her brutally against the table, Xizor's evil smirk as he pointed toward her stomach, Callista's horrified wail as they prepared to take her son away from her. The knife returned again, and she felt the pain searing through her body, the unborn child's pitiful scream as it slowly died. Dimming, dimming, dimming...   
_NO!   
You and no other...   
_At that moment, Callista found the strength she had been missing to fight back Xizor's allure, to push back any and all thoughts of her touching him. Her screams as Ben died repeated several times over in her mind, until she had completely drove back Xizor's influence--   
And won. Xizor's lips were mere centimeters away from kissing her. He moaned in ecstasy, apparently unaware of any changes in Callista. "Oh, Callista," he said. "I have waited a long time for this..."   
"So have I," Callista said, and struck. The Force smashed into Xizor's chest, quickly followed by the snapping of ribs. The Dark Prince was flung backwards and crashed onto the crystal table, smashing the champagne bottle with the impact, spilling red Corellian wine onto the carpeted floor. Callista spat out several times, and wiped her lips furiously with her sleeve, as if afraid that kissing Xizor would make her sick.   
And in a way, it had.   
"Force, that felt good," she said, loud enough for Xizor to hear.   
The Dark Prince, groaning in pain, quickly got off the table and stood, glaring furiously at Callista. "What do you think you're doing?" he snapped. "Is this some kind of game?" Callista shook her head. "Nope. No game. Playtime is over for me, Xizor. No more kid gloves."  
"But...how?" Xizor demanded. "I had you under my complete control."   
Callista sighed. Somtimes, non-Force users just didn't get it. "I'm a Jedi Knight, Xizor, remember? It should be self-explanatory." Her voice then took on a more serious edge. "You butchered my son, and you kidnapped my daughter and nephew. Only one of us is going to leave the _Fallen Moon_ alive, Xizor...and it's sure as hell is not going to be you." Xizor growled, rising to the challenge. "Are you threatening me?"   
Callista sneered. "You're a smart guy, Xizor. You figure it out." Xizor glared, and was running toward her in an instant, moving like quicksilver. Callista knew that the Falleen were quick, agile fighters.   
But Jedi were even faster.   
Summoning the Force, Callista leaped high into the air, her head almost striking the ceiling, safely avoiding Xizor's lunge. She landed unharmed on her feet, right behind the towering Dark Prince, who had almost ran into the wall. Callista spun, just as Xizor did, and snapped a powerful kick to the abdomen, one of the most sensitive areas of a Falleen. Xizor felt the blow, and bent over in pain. She followed with a left jab to the mouth, then a right, spinning him around, and concluded with a kick to the center of the spine, knocking him against the wall, causing a painted portait of a Kerash priest to fall loose to the floor.   
"You have no idea how much I'm enjoying this," Callista said as she threw another punch.   
Xizor saw it coming, and pushed away from the wall, blocking the attack with one, muscular arm. "And now, I'm going to have my fun," he snarled.   
He surprised Callista with a wall-shattering punch to the stomach, making her double over in pain. The blow left her unable to breathe for a precious few seconds, which Xizor followed with an uppercut that knocked her clean off her feet and landed her flat on the crystal table.   
Xizor laughed, his Jedi opponent weakened, and surged towards her.


	14. Chirru

Chapter 14  
  
Guri paced patiently across the platform overlooking the Imperial Palace control room. The enormous viewscreen displayed the space battle taking place at the edge of the Coruscant System in all its glory. Smaller monitors showed Black Sun pilots rushing to the palace bay, where squadrons of X-wing and Y-wing fighters lay unattended to. Guri smiled as she imagines the looks on the Republic fighter pilots faces as their own ships turned against them, hijacked by Black Sun.   
The space battle was chaos. The Star Destroyers--constructed by former Imperial workers in the Core Systems--had formed a lethal triangle around the New Republic and Hapan ships, firing mercilessly with all their weapons. TIE fighters roared through space, colliding with the Republic fighters, making it almost impossible to determine who was ally and enemy. Guri focused on the viewscreen, feeling a surge of pride each time a Republic ship exploded, and growling in disapproval when a Black Sun ship was destroyed. So far, Black Sun had the advantage. Thanks to Xizor's implanted explosives, the number of Republic ships had been reduced by more than half. Now, it was up to their fleet to finish the job.   
Suddenly, Guri saw an entire mass of ships come out of hyperspace, almost as large as the Black Sun fleet. New Republic reinforcements, she realized with dismay.   
Even as she watched, the newly arrived fleet opened fire on the Star Destroyers. Guri tried to control her growing anxiety--even HRDs had the ability to feel emotions, fear being one of them-- by biting on her lower lip. So, the Republic had reinforcements. That meant nothing. Black Sun would still triumph over the weak New Republic.   
As she watched the battle unfold before her eyes, she thought of Xizor. The Dark Prince should have been here himself, directing the battle. Too much was at risk here, and he was off gallivanting on some forgotten planet, making love to some weak human woman whose neck she could easily snap with only a fraction of her strength. She understood his decision to leave some of his clones on Anasazi, but to stay there and play around, when he had an entire empire to run? It disgusted her.   
She had heard that clones tended to go crazy; such was the case with the clone Joruus C'baoth. Perhaps the same was happening with Xizor...   
Her thoughts were interrupted by a nervous officer, who stammered, "Ma'am, we have an incoming transmission from the _Galactic Voyager_. It is the Chief of State, Leia Organa Solo."   
Guri remembered the name. Xizor--the real Xizor--had foolishly tried to seduce, and had paid dearly for that. "Let's hear it," she said.   
The officer nodded, and the image of the orbital battle was quickly replaced by the face of a beautiful woman, her long brown hair tied in a bun on top of her head, with several loose strands trickling down around her face. Guri recognized her as Organa Solo.   
"Black Sun," the Chief of State said in an impressively calm but cold voice. "You cannot win this battle. You might be able to take Coruscant away from us temporarily, but it will never last. I am offering you two choices: either surrender and hand over Coruscant back to us...or fight, and die."   
The officer looked up at Guri, unsure of what to do. "Should we reply, ma'am?" he asked.   
Guri shook her head, unintimidated by the Chief of State's feeble threats. "Don't bother. Contact our fleet and tell them to focus all their firepower on the _Galactic Voyager_. When the Republic sees their leader go out in a blaze of fire, their morale will drop...and we'll move right in for the kill."   
The officer nodded, and proceeded to do so. Guri smiled, and watched as the space battle returned to dominate the screen. So far, five Republic battleships and one Hapan Battle Dragon had been destroyed. They had managed to destroy only one Star Destroyer. The odds were definitely in the favor of Black Sun.  
  
Leia sighed as no one replied to her message. She looked over at Han. "That figures," she said. "Black Sun isn't responding."   
Han shrugged. "Guess they're just afraid to admit the truth."   
Leia smiled, and turned back to the space battle. She nodded at her comm officer to establish contact with the Verpine and Barabel flagships. "Your Highness, King Mornoch...are you ready for this?"   
"Yes, Madame President," the Hive Queen replied on her flagship, the _Ooxinva_. "My warriors are ready to fight to the death," Mornoch replied from the Dark Star. Leia nodded. "Then do it."   
The Verpine wave of B-wing fighters were the first to go, all weapons blazing. In just under a second, a dozen TIE fighters exploded, followed by several more as the Verpine fighters pierced the heart of the battle. Mornoch's ships, mostly cylindrical Barabel gunships and Skipray blastboats, focused intently on the Star Destroyers.   
"Raise our shields," Leia ordered. "And deploy our fighters."   
"If I had the _Falcon_," Han muttered, "I would have been whooping some Black Sun butt right about now."   
Leia smiled and wrapped her arm around his. "Don't worry about it, honey," she said. "We're doing just fine. In a few minutes, I'll be leading a contingent of soldiers that'll head for Imperial City. If Black Sun isn't willing to surrender Coruscant to us...then we'll just have to retake it from them right under their noses." She flashed her husband a confident grin. "You wanna come along...if you think you're up for it?"   
Han grinned in return. "Hey, after a couple of years of sitting on my ass doing nothing, I'm ready for any kind of action."  
  
Flanked by two of Mornoch's gunships, the _Galactic Voyager_ headed closer to the battle. Its laser cannons spoke, targeting to two closest Star Destroyers from behind. Leia watched as the hyperdrive engines of one destroyer exploded in a fiery wave of white and yellow light. The flames started spreading throughout the Black Sun starship, melting away the hull. Its companion began whirling around, taken by surprise by this unexpected opponent.   
Within seconds, the docking bay burst with TIE fighters, which opened fire on the Mon Calamari cruiser. Their lasers bounced harmlessly off the _Galactic Voyager_'s shields. They were holding strong...for now, at least.   
As the fighting continued, two more Star Destroyers approached the _Galactic Voyager_, their turbolasers streaking through space. Five more attacked it from the rear, while three fired from the right, completely trapping it. One of the flanking gunships exploded, causing a shudder throughout the _Galactic Voyager_. Several officers were thrown to the floor, Leia included. She cried out as the back of her head struck a console, sending a river of pain through her body. Han, who had been holding onto the railing, went over to help her up, his eyes wide with concern.   
Leia nodded her thanks, and stared wide-eyed at the surrounding destroyers. "If they keep this up, they'll completely collapse our shields within seconds," she said. Suddenly, one of the destroyers blossomed into a burning ball, which spread across the entire viewscreen, nearly blinding Leia and everyone else in the Galactic Voyager. By the time the explosion had cleared, half a dozen Hapan Battle Dragons came in, driving back the circle of destroyers.   
Isolder's voice came to life over the speakers. "Well, if it isn't the beautiful Leia Organa Solo," the Hapan prince greeted. "I heard that you needed help."   
"Isolder, you slime!" Han exclaimed with a grin. "You came just in the nick of time." "Let's say we teach these Black Sun cronies a lesson in manners," Isolder said, as the _Song of War_ fired upon another Star Destroyer.   
"Madame President," the comm officer said. "I've received a transmission from a shuttle that has just arrived in the system. It's the _Shapeshifter_, and its pilot wishes to dock on the _Galactic Voyager_." Leia and Han shared the same look.   
"The _Shapeshifter_?" Han said. "Isn't that Callista's--?"   
"Yes, it is," Leia said quickly. She told the officer, "Ask the pilot for her identification." The officer nodded, and Leia waited impatiently for the response. On the viewscreen, the Song of War was being assaulted by a twin pair of Victory- class destroyers. "She says her name is Cray Mingla," the officer said.  
  
The _Slave IV_ was unable to carry all the Jedi students. Luke, Leanna, Kirana Ti, Kam, and three others had chosen to return to Coruscant on the bounty hunter ship, with Boba Fett as prisoner. The rest remained behind, and Luke had promised each and every one of them that they would return with help as soon as possible.   
The _Slave IV_ headed for the Coruscant System, the screen displaying the magnificent starlines of hyperspace. Luke sat in the pilot's seat, with Leanna as co-pilot. The others were in the rear bay, while Boba Fett was tied down to his own bed in his private quarters.   
Conversation was light and minimal between the two, until Luke said, "You wanted to kill Boba Fett, didn't you? I could feel it when you brought him back to the _Falcon._" Leanna, having not said a single word for hours, heaved an irritated sigh. "Why do you Jedi always try to get in other people's business?" she snapped.   
"It's what we're best at," Luke said jokingly. Then he grew serious. "Well, didn't you?"   
Leanna nodded. "Yes, I did. I wanted to kill him more than anyone else in my life. The only reason I didn't was because I knew you needed him to tell you where Xizor was. But I still..." She stopped.   
"What did Fett do to you?" Luke asked.   
The woman was silent for a long time. "It's personal," she muttered. "I don't want to talk about it."   
"It's your choice," Luke said. "But trust me when I say that you'll feel much better if you--"   
The _Slave IV_ came out of hyperspace, just as the proximity indicators shrieked in warning. Luke had barely adjusted to the lack of starlines when he saw the space battle erupting violently before them.   
"What in the name of..." he gasped. Even Leanna looked surprised. The door to the cockpit slid open, and Kirana Ti strode in.   
"Have we arrived yet, Master--" She stopped when she saw the viewscreen. "What is going on?"   
Luke gritted his teeth as he sped the _Slave IV_ toward the space battle. Already, he could see TIE fighters and interceptors heading in his direction. "Apparently, Xizor is through playing games with us..."  
  
Callista's body froze as her back landed on top of the crystal table. She felt whatever fight she had had left leave her body in a rush. Pain burned in every part of her body, and the back of her shirt and pants quickly grew wet from the spilled champagne. Nevertheless, she forced herself to get up.   
But Xizor was already there, towering over her like an enraged deity. He snatched her up by one arm, hard enough to almost to break the bone, and tossed her freely in the air with amazing strength.   
Callista felt her body plummet, and she tried to control her fall with the Force, but her wounds were starting to take their toll on her, and prevented her from focusing. She smacked into the far wall, her forehead taking the most of the impact, and she slid down, sagging to the carpet, her limbs curled around her in a fetal position. She felt blood coming down her face, and her fingers unconsciously went up to her forehead. The impact had reopened her cut. She heard Xizor approach, and barely had any strength to get up.   
The Dark Prince leered as he grabbed her by the hair and smashed her face into the wall, with enough power to crack the metal. Callista felt her nose open up, spilling blood, and she gasped as Xizor grabbed her by the throat.   
"What's the matter, Callista?" Xizor taunted, lifting her high into the air as if she weighed less than a grain of sand. "I thought you were a Jedi Knight. Pardon me if I say that I'm not impressed with your fighting skills."   
He slammed her against the wall again. She cried out--or rather, squeaked, since Xizor was choking her--as her back met with the hard metal. The Falleen tightened his grip. "If you're not going to marry me," he continued, "then I'm afraid you'll have to join your son in the land of the dead."   
Callista's eyes went down, and saw a open area where she could strike. Xizor was still preoccupied with strangling her. She only had once chance. And she took it. Her knee shot up with the speed of a laser bolt, hitting Xizor right between the knees, with as much force as she could muster.   
The Dark Prince groaned in pain and released his hold on her, causing her to collapse to her knees, relearning how to breathe. The Dark Prince staggered back, both hands going down to his crotch. Despite the pain in her nose, Callista managed a smile.   
"How does that feel?" she said. She started getting up, prepared to deliver her next blow. But Xizor had recovered too quickly, and even as she started throwing a roundhouse blow for his head, he grabbed her neck and waist with both arms and lifted her in the air. He brought her up high over his head--   
--and down upon his knee. Callista's back met the brunt of the blow, an avalanche of agony ripping through her spine. She had erected a Force shield around her seconds before Xizor had struck her with his knee, which was just enough to prevent him from snapping her spinal cord.   
It did nothing to alleviate the pain, though. Even as she reeled, Xizor released her, shoving her nonchalantly to the ground. She rolled across the carpet and struck the table leg of the crystal table, stunned. Xizor laughed, taking immense joy with the pain he was causing.   
"You can't win, Callista. No one can defeat the Dark Prince of Black Sun."   
Callista stood on one foot, hissing at the pain it caused her. "No harm in trying, is there?" she shot back.   
The Dark Prince shook his head in mock-disappointment. "You don't get it, do you? You can go ahead and kill if me if you want--and I doubt you'll be able to--it won't bring your son back. Because I killed him. I had that knife gut you open like a tauntaun and take your precious little baby away from you. And no matter what you do to me, you will never be able to avenge his death."   
Callista felt a brief moment of fury at his words, but found the inner strength she needed to wash away those dark feelings. She had already had enough close calls with the dark side for one lifetime.   
"That's where you're wrong, Xizor," she said, now standing on both feet, strengthened by her own resolve.   
The Dark Prince chuckled. "Oh? Really?"   
Callista nodded. "You see, this isn't just about revenge. A small part of it is, but there's more to it. This is about justice. You represent a threat to the New Republic and the galaxy. And as a Jedi Knight, I must do my duty...and defeat you once and for all."   
With an incredible surge in the Force, she dashed toward the Dark Prince and tackled him. She smashed into Xizor so hard that they both were sent to the floor, with a very disoriented Falleen on top. Taking advantage of his weakened state, Callista brought her elbow up into his jaw, connecting nice and hard.   
"That's for killing my son!" she said, following the elbow with a cuff that knocked out one of his fanged molars.   
"That's for kidnapping my daughter!" A third punch sent a fresh spurt of blood flying out of the Dark Prince's nose.   
"That's for slobbering me with your nasty lips!" She brought her foot up, planting it firmly on Xizor's ribs, and shoved upward with all her might, throwing the Dark Prince high over her head. He landed behind her, and Callista performed a backward somersault, landing her right on his belly, keeping him from moving. With her opponent immobile, she continued the pummeling, never letting her anger control her thoughts...and even enjoying it a little.   
"This is for making me betray my family!"   
WHAP!   
"This is for even thinking of putting your hands on me!"  
WHAP!   
"This is for actually putting your hands on me! And this--"   
She threw another punch, but Xizor, his face bleeding and bruised, managed to gain enough awareness to see the blow coming seconds before it hit, and grabbed her fist with one clawed hand, just inches away from his chin. As Callista struggled to break free from his grip, he threw her off him, sending her rolling to the floor. Both rose to their feet within seconds, and came at each other at once. They joined, and their combined momentum sent them flailing back to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.   
Callista ended up on Xizor's stomach again, and straddled her legs tightly against his ribs, holding him still. Callista smiled as she balled her hands into one gigantic fist and brought it smashing down toward Xizor's head, backed up by the Force, intending to shatter his skull right then and there.   
But Xizor counterattacked with powerful reflexes, snatching her fist with both hands. With incredible strength, he managed to wrench her hands apart from each other, causing the fist to disappear, and shoved her back. She flew through the air and collided into the opposite wall. Callista landed in a crouch, one hand on the ground and the other outstretched to keep her balance, facing Xizor as he staggered clumsily to his feet. Her back hurt from the impact, but she tried to ignore it and came at the Dark Prince with renewed strength, intending to bring him back down again.   
Xizor was more than ready for her this time. Just when she bore down on him he grabbed her by the waist and flipped her into the air, landing her none- too-gently on the crystal table. The table cracked under the pressure, and Callista slid off and hit the floor, temporarily stunned. As she rose, Xizor leaped onto the crystal table, glowering down at the Jedi woman.   
"You've had your fun, Callista. Now, it's my turn."   
Callista shook her head, her malt-brown hair a sweaty and tangled mess around her shoulders. "Oh, no, Xizor. My fun isn't over yet."   
As she spoke, a glass vase, controlled by the Force, smashed into Xizor's side. It shattered, and small glass shards flew into Xizor's clothes and flesh, bringing forth a reptilian hiss of pain from the Dark Prince. Callista followed with a spin, and her foot kicked out through the air, colliding into Xizor's heels. His feet left the table, and he crashed. The entire table, already weakened from the fight, completely shattered, and the Dark Prince was sent to the floor, covered in crystal and glass pieces.  
Callista reached out and grabbed him, intending to break his arm, but the Dark Prince--bleeding from over a dozen cuts on his body from where the glass had cut him--threw a backhand that struck Callista sharply in the face, knocking her back against the wall with a cry of surprise, bleeding from a fresh cut on her lip. She turned and saw the Dark Prince getting up. She had the advantage for now, but she knew she couldn't keep fighting him forever. She had to take him down, and fast--   
That was when her eyes rested on the decorative sword hanging on a mantel near the bed. Immediately, an idea came to mind. She concentrated, focusing on the sword until it began levitating in the air. Slowly at first, and then faster as her grasp on it became stronger. Once it was completely in the air, she sent it twirling toward Xizor--   
The Dark Prince must have heard it coming, for he spun and saw the sword coming at him, as if it had a life of its own. Emitting a curse in his native tongue, Xizor ducked, and the sword ended up cleaving a hover-lamp in half. It fell noisily to the floor, no longer controlled by Callista's powers. Xizor turned to face Callista, a feral, frightened glare in his reptilian eyes. His entire face was covered with blood, his ponytail loose and hanging over his shoulders. He seemed afraid of Callista, for the first time since they had met. Callista grinned.   
"What's wrong, Xizor? Are you getting scared? Don't tell me you're afraid of a weak, puny little Jedi like me?"   
Despite his haggard state, Xizor sneered. "It doesn't matter, Callista. Even if you succeed in killing me, nothing will change. I still have over dozens of clones at my disposal, just waiting to activate should anything happen to me."   
Callista's grin grew even wider. "You mean the clones that you hid in the Anasazi caves?"   
Xizor's sneer vanished. "How did you know that?"   
"They're gone. Destroyed, no more. I found your precious clones and destroyed them one by one. They're as useless as a rusted blaster."   
From the corner of her eye, she saw the sword lifted itself from the floor again.   
"Isn't payback a bitch, Xizor?"   
Xizor's eyes grew bloodshot with fury. He looked like he was about to strangle something. "You..." He couldn't find the words to describe what he felt. "You...did WHAT?!" Callista smirked. "You killed my son, Xizor. I destroyed your clones. One bad turn deserves another."   
The sword's point was aimed for Xizor's chest. The Dark Prince wasn't even paying attention to it.   
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!" Xizor screeched, his voice sending a tremor throughout the room, as he leaped over the mound of glass, his claws hooked into enormous talons.   
That was when the sword struck him in the chest. Xizor stopped in his tracks, making no sound, his eyes looking down at the weapon that had cleaved through his heart. He then looked up at Callista, and a pained growl escaped his green lips. Callista calmly walked towards him, sure to sway her hips from side to side. She grabbed the hilt of the sword, twisting it in Xizor's chest. He groaned and fell to his knees. Callista smiled, ripped the sword from his body and, in one fluid motion, struck off his head.  
The clone uttered a single scream before his head tumbled to the floor. The rest of the body followed soon afterwards, limbs jerking involuntarily. Greenish-black blood poured, staining the red carpet.   
Xizor's fingers were the last to stop twitching.   
Callista let out a sigh of relief, her legs wobbly, as she let the sword fall to the floor. She stared down at the corpse of the man who had caused her so much misery, and felt an enormous burden leave her shoulders. At long last, she had defeated the Dark Prince of Black Sun, without using the dark side as her weapon.   
Master Djinn would have been proud.  
  
Deep underground, far away from the now-abandoned metropolis of Coruscant, in the secret cloning facility Black Sun had kept hidden from Republic eyes, the six remaining Xizor clones rested in the cloning cylinders.   
Clone Number 2-B's eyes snapped open.  
  
The Kerash priests brought Hope and Anakin back to the Main Hall of the temple. They surrounded the two children in a circle as they moved, apparently making very sure that they would not attempt another escape. Hope stayed as close to Anakin as possible, grasping his hand. The priests were speaking in their native tongue; it was impossible to understand what they were saying.   
But whatever it was, it probably wasn't good at all.   
Hope looked over at her cousin, and saw that Anakin was just as scared as she was. "You two do not understand your importance in the galaxy," the High Priest, Tsin, explained to them, as he dragged Hope by the arm, ripping into her already-ruined sleeve. "Without the Bond, Arak will remain trapped within the realm of Raximidaj for all eternity. Is that what you two want?"   
_Honestly, I don't give a kaadu's rear end about your stupid goddess, _Hope thought to herself, but kept quiet, knowing that saying that out loud would get her and Anakin into a lot of trouble. And they were in enough trouble as it was. She wondered how Llia was doing. She hoped the older girl would be all right. But she remembered what Armenia had said, and she shuddered. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She had been so furious at Llia for "betraying" them on Coruscant. And in truth, she had merely been following her cousin's orders. She even tried to rescue Hope and Anakin, even at the risk of losing her own life. Hope silently promised that if she found a way out of this mess, Llia would be going home, too.   
She certainly was far too good for these crazy people.   
Hope cried out as Tsin picked her up and placed her on the golden altar on the dais in the center of the Main Hall. Anakin was placed next to her, and the Kerash priests surrounded them, chanting in low tones.   
"Jureya jureya, cora mada, jureya jureya, cora mada," they chanted, over and over again.   
Tsin came forth, carrying a bowl full of, much to Hope's horror, blood.   
"O Mighty Arak," he shouted, raising the bucket high over his head. "I hold within my hands the blood of the Innocent, the Unknowing. May the blood wash away the sins of the Bond, and allow them to open the portal to Raximidaj...and release you into our world." Hope and Anakin shared frightened glances, scared of what would happen next. Tsin poured the blood on Hope, starting with her head and working his way down. The blood, which was still warm, soaked her hair, went into her eyes and nose, drenched her torn clothing. Next to her, the same happened to Anakin.   
Hope screamed; she couldn't help it. The blood felt warm and gross and smelled like copper. The priests continued chanting, and began dancing around in a circle around the altar.   
"Keysa! Keysa! Keysa!"   
Once Tsin had emptied the bowl, he held up one hand. Immediately, the chanting stopped.   
"The baptism is done. The sins of the Bond have been cleansed. Bring in the Third Vessel!"   
Hope unconsciously wiped some of the blood off her face, hoping the Kerash wouldn't notice, and saw two priests come into the Main Hall, dragging a young boy with them. About thirteen or fourteen years old, his face was badly scarred, as if something extremely hot had been poured onto his face and burned away at his skin. Hope watched as they dumped the boy unceremoniously to the ground. Tsin nodded in approval, and turned to his fellow priests.   
"We must go," he said. "Prepare for the Coming. We must dress in our finest robes when Arak returns."   
The priests left the chamber one by one, without uttering a single word. Tsin was the last to leave, and locked the door behind him. Two guards stood on both sides of the door, ensuring that no one would try to leave without the Kerash's consent. Hope looked at the blood that had been poured on her clothes, and she almost started crying. She looked over at Anakin to see how he was doing, and saw that he looked just as upset as she. Then her eyes focused on the boy.   
_Poor boy,_ she thought, noting the scars on his face. Slowly, his eyes blinked open, and he managed to sit up, groaning in pain as he did so.   
Hope recalled what Mommy had once told her about manners when meeting new people, and she said, "Uh...hello. I'm Hope Skywalker. What's your name?"  
  
Llia sat alone in the temple dungeon, awaiting her inevitable punishment. She knew fully well what was to come, and who would be coming...and she was terrified to her bones. The Kerash had made sure the hole leading outside was completely sealed off before locking her in the dungeon. Now, she had no way to escape her captors. She would not be given a second chance.   
She rested her back against the cold stone wall, thinking of Hope. _I'm sorry, munchkin,_ she thought sadly. _I did everything I could. Looks like I failed us all... _She stared off into the darkness, her sister suddenly coming to mind.   
It felt like eternity since she had last seen her family. The last time she could remember being with them, they were being attacked by a bounty hunter. She could still remember seeing her brother fall to the ground, unconscious...could still remember seeing Leanna rush back into the house. That was the last time she had ever seen her sister. She briefly wondered if Leanna was still alive, and searching for her.   
Suddenly, the dungeon door opened, and footsteps emerged. Llia felt her body freeze in terror as the footsteps approached her. Her captors had finally come.   
Armenia stepped out of the shadows, a frightening scowl on her white- skinned face. "Hello, Llia," she said in a sickeningly calm voice. Distinctly, Llia could hear the squeaking of wheels enter the dark chamber.   
Llia didn't bother answering.   
"I didn't want to have to resort to this, cousin," the older woman continued. "But apparently, you just can't seem to avoid trouble, can you?" As she spoke, two other Kerash appeared, pushing a small cart that was covered with a sheet. Llia's eyes followed the cart, wondering what they were planning to do.   
"If you're going to purify me, Armenia, then do it. Let's just get this over with." Armenia chuckled and shook her head. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Llia? But no can do. Purifications must last for hours upon hours. And they must be very painful. Perhaps after this beating, your goodness will have been beaten out of you as well." She went over to the cart, and pulled off the sheet, so that the little girl could plainly see what was lying on the tray.   
A fire-poker.   
Immediately, Llia stood up, preparing to run. But Armenia gestured with one hand, and the two Kerash rushed for her, snatching her by both arms and slamming her against the wall. Llia could hear her breathing come out in short, frightened gasps. Armenia picked up the fire-poker and held it out in front of her, the tip pointing toward Llia. She saw that the pointed edge was burning red-hot, as if it had just recently been stuck in fire.   
And she knew that it had been.   
"Trust me, Llia," Armenia said, "I'm doing this for your own good." Her emerald eyes went up to the Kerash holding her. "Take her shirt off."   
The Kerash followed her orders, ripping Llia's jumpsuit from both sides, tearing it cleanly in half, exposing the upper part of her little body. The two halves of blue fabric fell aimlessly to the floor. Without her shirt, the dungeon air felt cold and uninviting on her skin. "Turn her around."   
Llia began screaming as her two captors spun her body around, pinning her violently against the wall. She tried with all her might to get away, but the guards were far stronger than her. Without warning, she began to cry.   
Armenia laughed in amusement. "You are such a weakling, Llia. Look at you, crying like a little baby. I'm ashamed to call you my cousin."   
She sauntered forth, holding the fire-poker with both hands. "I think I'll stick this through your back, through your spine. And maybe even through your heart. Let's see if you can survive that."   
Llia continued to cry, her little body trembling with fear. She wished several times over that Leanna was here to protect her...but it did no good. Armenia positioned the fire-poker, nodding to the two guards--   
--and shoved it through Llia's back.  
A bright, searing pain Llia had never felt before shot through her body. The red-hot poker burned through her skin, touched her spinal cord, sizzled the blood in her body. Steam rose into the cold, stale air. She could no longer breathe, or scream, or cry. All she could do was stand there, helpless, surrounded by a bright nova of agony that burned through every fiber of her being. Time slowed, and she almost fell to her knees, but the guards continued holding her. The world began spinning around her, and her vision grew dimmer. Pain, there was so much pain...  
And finally nothing.  
  
Leia and Han watched as the _Shapeshifter_ docked with the _Galactic Voyager_. A squad of fully armed Republic guards surrounded the ship as it touched down, blasters drawn.   
They were not going to take any chances with the HRD.   
Leia still could not believe it. Cray had returned to Coruscant--with Callista's ship! That was not a good sign. She feared the worst, that Cray had somehow killed Callista and dumped her body into the blackness of space... She tried to calm down, a task much easier said than done, especially in the middle of a space battle.   
No, Callista couldn't be dead. She would have felt something if she had died. No, she could sense that something else must have happened...   
The _Shapeshifter_'s ramp opened, quickly followed by the sound of footsteps as the ship's pilot descended. The Republic guards tensed, ready to fire at Leia's command. Han had his blaster out, and Leia's lightsaber was gripped in one hand, her finger prepared to thumb the switch--   
--and Cray strode out, taken aback by the group of armed people. "Um...went a little overboard with the welcome party," she commented as her boots thudded against the dull metal floor. "I'm looking for Master Skywalker. Is he here?"   
"Freeze!" the lead Republic guard shouted, stepping forth and aiming his weapon at the HRD's chest. "Don't move, or we'll pump you full of fire."   
Cray sighed, and her foot kicked out with amazing speed, too fast for Leia to completely see it. She struck the guard's blaster rifle, shattering it into several large pieces. The man gasped and stepped back, eyes wide with fear.   
"Nice trick," Han said, setting his pistol to the KILL setting. "Do you think you can do that to all of us at the same time?"   
As he spoke, the rest of the guards tightened their fingers on the triggers. "Look, I don't have time for this," Cray sighed. "I need to find Skywalker. It's an emergency." "Where's Callista?" Leia asked. "That's her ship you were flying." She pointed toward the _Shapeshifter_.   
"That's why I came here," Cray said. "Callista's in trouble. She needs help right away."   
"Trouble?" The HRD now had Leia's complete attention. "What kind of trouble?" "Big trouble," Cray replied. "Bigger than the mess you guys are in right now. She's being held captive by a group of religious fanatics called the Ker--"   
"Save it, Cray," Han cut in. "We're not buying any of your bantha fodder." He nodded toward the guards. "Guys, plug the bitch."   
The New Republic soldiers prepared to do just that, when Leia held up a hand, mentally stopping them. "Wait! " She looked over at the Human Replica Droid, who didn't seem the least bit afraid of the soldiers. "Look, I have a deal for you. We're going to go down to Coruscant and wrest Coruscant from Black Sun. Are you willing to help us? If so, I'll consider dropping the charges against you for assaulting my family."   
Han grabbed her by the arm, bewildered at her decision. "Leia, you can't be serious!" he exclaimed. "Are you actually trusting her?"   
Leia nodded. "Yes, Han, I am. I think she's telling the truth."   
"She's lying to you! She probably already killed Callista and is making up some story to get us to drop our guard--"  
"What if she's not?" Leia shot back. "What if she's telling the truth? Han, why would she come back, risking arrest? No one is going to shoot her. Not while I'm around."   
Her eyes turned to Cray. "So, how about it, Cray? Are you in?"   
The HRD nodded, and slapped her fist against her palm. "Yeah, I'm in. I've been looking for a decent fight ever since I left Anasazi."   
Leia nodded. "We'll need the _Shapeshifter_." She turned her attention to the soldiers. "Get yourselves ready. We'll need as much firepower as we can muster for this mission." The guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do. A cold stare from Leia prompted them to carry out her orders.   
Han still didn't look convinced. "Leia, are you sure about this?" A shudder ran through the _Galactic Voyager_ as one of Xizor's Star Destroyers scored another direct hit.   
"Han, we don't have time to argue about this!" Leia snapped. "Whether you like it or not, Cray is coming with us!" She looked over at the HRD, who seemed impatient to leave already. "We have to trust her."   
Han sighed, knowing there was no way he could convince her otherwise. When Leia made a decision, there was no swaying her.   
"Fine," he concended. "But I'm telling you, Leia. I still think she's trouble."   
Leia managed a smile. "Trust me."   
Five minutes, and they were ready.  
  
The Sisters of the Singing Mountain Clan were pleased to have the children of Han Solo visit them again. Jacen remembered that Augwynne and her warriors held his father--as well as his mother, Uncle Luke, and Aunt Callista--in high regard, considering that he helped defeat the original band of Nightsisters and handed over the deed to Dathomir to Singing Mountain. Augwynne had once said that they owed Han more than they could ever pay.   
And to this day, the Singing Mountain Clan still believed what she had said. Jacen lay quietly on his bed in the guest room the Sisters had provided for him, gazing out at the single window in the room. Jaina slept in the bed across from him, snoring loudly, sounding no different from one of the numerous rancors that roamed the forests of Dathomir. She had always insisted that she never snored in her sleep...but Jacen knew better.   
The guest room was the most spacious and decorative room on Singing Mountain. Colorful shields of warriors who had died in battle, with small gems and skulls embedded in the wood, hung on the stone walls, along with swords, clubs, and other various weapons the Singing Mountain Clan warriors used in battle. It wasn't anywhere near as luxurious as the guest quarters on Coruscant, Jacen knew, but for some reason...he preferred this to anything the Republic had to offer. Maybe it was the primitive feeling of it all.   
Dathomir was normally quiet during the night, the only sounds the occasional rancor howl. In all his life living in the Imperial Palace, Jacen had never known a quiet night. The endless bustling sounds of the enormous city kept him awake more than once. Here, he actually felt a sense of...serenity.   
Then why couldn't he sleep?   
Jacen rested his head on the hay-stuffed pillow, his eyes looking through the window, at the stars that twinkled down at him from the ebony sky. He missed Hope and Anakin so much. Even at their most annoying, they were still his family. And he still loved them very much, and he knew Jaina did too. How could he sleep, knowing that his brother and cousin were lost somewhere in the galaxy, all alone?   
Hours passed, and Jacen somehow found sleep. He drifted off into darkness, which didn't last long before his dreams started catching up with him...   
_Jacen...   
_Jacen's eyes flew open at the sound of his name. "Who's there?" he said, eyes darting nervously around the room. Jaina was still sleeping, oblivious to her brother's fear. _It's all right, Jacen_.   
Jacen moaned and hid under the covers, hoping that the monster would go away. But the covers pulled away, as if invisible hands were grasping it.   
_Don't be afraid. I'm here to help you._   
The voice didn't sound like a monster. Rather it was...beautiful. Jacen couldn't find the right word to describe it. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.   
"Who are you?" he asked in a tiny voice, feeling some of the fear go away.   
_A friend. I have been watching you for some time now, Jacen. You and your family. The Force is strong within you. You must now use it to find your brother and cousin. _"But...how?" Jacen said. "I want to find them, more than anything, but...I don't even know where to start looking." He looked around the room, expecting this "person" speaking to him to pop out of nowhere, but no one came. "Can you help me?"   
_Yes. That is why I am here. The answers you seek, young one, will be found on the forgotten world of Anasazi.   
Anasazi..._   
Jacen formed the word in his mouth. He had never heard of the planet before. "Okay...that's a start. But I still don't know where it is."   
_I will guide you there,_ the voice said, comforting Jacen's thoughts with its words. _There is much at stake here. A great evil lies within Anasazi, an evil destined to alter the universe forever. It must be stopped...and you, Jacen, must help your family in doing so. I shall return to you when the time comes._   
The voice began fading away into nothingness, as did Jacen's dream, but not before he heard its final words.   
_The Force will be with you, Jacen. Always..._   
"Jacen! Jacen, wake up!" Jacen's eyes opened--for real, this time--and he looked up to see his sister violently shaking him, her eyes shining with fright and excitement. "Wha...What is it, Jaina?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. Jaina stopped shaking him and said in a hushed whisper, "Listen, I had the strangest dream. I dreamt that this freaky voice was speaking to me. It told that if I wanted to find Hope and Annie, I had to go to--" "Anasazi," Jacen said, finishing her sentence. Jaina was taken aback. "How did you...?"   
"I had the same dream, too," Jacen said.   
"Oh." The two remained silent for a few minutes, the only sound the chirping of kirpa birds outside the room. "So...what do you think we should do?"   
Jacen thought for a moment. "I guess we should go to Anasazi."   
"But how? First of all, I've never even heard of the planet before. And second of all, I don't know how to get there."   
"Well, that voice--whoever it was--said that it'll guide us to this planet," Jacen reminded her. "Look, we already planned to continue our search for Hope and Anakin, anyways. I think we should just trust our instincts."   
Jaina gave him a strange look. "Are you honestly saying that we should some_voice_ that we both heard in our dreams? That's ludicrous!"   
"Jaina, every time someone Force-sensitive in our family has weird dreams like these, it usually means something," Jacen said. "The voice said something evil was on Anasazi, and _we_ have to be the ones to stop it."  
"Yeah, sure," Jaina scoffed. "It's probably just some weird coincidence, Jacen. It's not like anyone else here had the same--"   
Just then, Tenel Ka burst into the guest room, dressed in her best red reptilian hides, carrying a small stone dagger in one hand.   
"My friends," she said. "We do not have much time.   
"Tenel Ka?" Jacen said. "What's wrong?"   
"I just received a vision from the Sisters of Light," Tenel Ka explained, her gray eyes glittering. "They told me that the answers we seek lie on the forgotten world of Anasazi, and that we must go there before a great evil there destroys the universe."   
"We know," Jacen said, flashing Jaina an 'I told you so' look. "We had the same dream, too."   
Tenel Ka looked slightly surprised, then hid it with her stony gaze. "Ah. Aha. Very well, then.   
The three children stood in the room, unmoving. "I guess we should get going," Jacen said.   
"Okay."   
"Let us go, then."   
They left the room.  
  
Half an hour after the fight, Callista seated herself at the foot of the _Fallen Moon'_s ramp. She rested her arms on her knees, her smoke-gray eyes penetrating the green-grassed clearing that surrounded her, which led off into the endless jungle that was common on Anasazi. Her fight with Xizor had been successful, but not easy to win.   
With the fight over, she felt all the cuts and bruises she had sustained from the Dark Prince of Black Sun. Her nose had stopped bleeding, and dried blood clung to the skin under her nose and mouth. Her back was one long wave of pain from where she had hit the wall.   
Callista smiled, wincing at the small pain it caused her. _I've been beaten up way too many times since I've been here, she thought. And yet, despite the pain...  
_Callista felt much better. Ever since she had encountered Xizor, had first felt his lips upon hers, she had felt an enormous burden crash upon her shoulders. It grew even worse when Ben had died, and when she had slept Xizor. Callista couldn't help but feel a mountain of guilt for what had happened to her son. A part of it was her fault. Had she not gone to Anasazi in the first place, this never would have happened.   
And what was she going to tell Luke?   
She had kept her pregnancy a secret from Luke, and she had no idea how to tell him that she had been with child, and had lost him. Even more so, how was she going to tell him that she had slept with another man, the same man who had taken her children away from her? She knew that she couldn't hide it from him forever. Luke would sense her feelings, and would want to know what was wrong.   
What was she going to do when that happened? She could already see his face as she told him about Ben and Xizor, the pain and betrayal shining in his blue eyes, the accusations he would throw at her. The idea of Luke never trusting her again frightened her more than Xizor and the Kerash combined.   
Callista breathed, resting her head upon her knees. That would come later, she knew. But for right now...for the first time since she had first arrived on Coruscant with her family, she felt good. Xizor was dead--or at least, one of his clones were. Callista had destroyed all his hidden clones on Anasazi, but she did not doubt that he had more on Coruscant.   
But her goal had been reached. She had killed the man who had kidnapped her daughter, who had ordered her son to be killed, and who had seduced her into sleeping with him. She still felt a good deal of concern for the New Republic. Xizor's words replayed in her mind. His fleet was at this moment attacking the Republic ships that had left Coruscant. But she knew that the Republic was a worthy opponent. They had faced enemies far more powerful than Xizor in the past, and had always emerged victorious. She had no doubts that they could hold their own against anything Black Sun could throw at them.   
Xizor would be taken care of.   
Now, Callista had to focus on the Kerash.   
Kieran's fascinating tale about Arak's downfall returned to Callista as she sat upon the ramp. According to the Kerash, it had taken a trinity of gods to defeat the evil goddess, and even that had been unable to destroy her, and prevent her from returning centuries later. Callista wondered if the key to stopping Arak required another trinity.   
_Calthazar...   
But I'm a Jedi,_ she thought. _Not a god. Surely, a trinity of Jedi is nowhere near as powerful as gods._   
And yet, something inside her reassured her that she was on the right track...   
Callista stood up, having rested for a few minutes to recuperate, and headed for the jungle toward Semaj. She glanced over at the _Fallen Moon_, at the hole that had been blasted through the starship's hull, and something inside told her that Cray had been responsible for that. After decapitating the clone, Callista had searched for the HRD in the detention area, but had found no one.   
That meant that Cray must have found a way to escape. She hoped she would be all right.   
A loud moan disturbed her thoughts, shattering the quiet in the clearing. Callista turned, and saw Sonya staggering from the jungle, drenched in blood. Her eyes widened with hope when she saw Callista, and she gasped out, "F-F-Fyorga?" before collapsing. Callista dashed over to the wounded woman, and turned her over. Sonya was bleeding from a deep gash in her stomach, as if something sharp had been jabbed into her flesh. She had lost a lot of blood. Callista tried using the Force to stop the bleeding, but it did little good. Within minutes, the old woman would die.   
"What happened?" Callista asked, careful not to touch her wound.   
Sonya's eyes fluttered, as if she had lost focus, and whispered, "Kerash...Armenia... ghrupaska cyrah ghraeui Semaj."   
Callista clearly understood "Kerash", "Armenia", and "Semaj".   
A burning sensation rose within her throat, as she held the dying woman in her arms, remembering what Kieran had told her in the caves. The Kerash had come to Semaj to claim their Blood of the Unknowing.   
And Armenia was there. Sonya uttered another gasp of pain, her eyes staring off almost lifelessly to the sky. She looked at Callista, and said, in Basic, "Y...You...m- must...stop...Ar..."   
Her body let out a final pained shudder, and Sonya died. Callista was barely able to register what had just transpired before her eyes. Her joy at defeating Xizor instantly evaporated as she cradled Sonya's body. She looked down at the old woman, who had done so much for her in the past few days, and gently closed her eyes.   
"I'm sorry, Sonya," she said. "About everything." She looked up, toward the jungle. She could already see smoke rising into the air from battle. "I'm going to make this right." She gingerly laid the body on the grass and ran into the jungle. She was unarmed, without her lightsaber, but she still had one weapon left...the Force. And with that, she knew she could best any opponent.   
The Kerash had to be stopped.


	15. Shemra

Chapter 15  
  
The _Shapeshifter_, flanked by a squad of Verpine B-wings, streamed from the _Galactic Voyager_ and into the enveloping space battle. Leia, Han, Cray, and over a well-armed and well-trained New Republic soldiers sat together in the rear compartment of the shuttle. It was crowded and uncomfortable, but Leia didn't complain. In the middle of a battle, when the possibility of being killed at any minute was very high, being comfortable was the least of her worries.   
Leia had a blaster and her lightsaber in hand. Her hand unconsciously gripped the metallic hilt of the Jedi weapon. She could almost feel the lethal power it carried, despite the fact that it was deactivated. The last time she had used her lightsaber was when she had fought Armenia in her apartment...and because of her hesitation, she had lost. Leia bit her lip, her fingers clenching the handle.   
This time, there would be no hesitation.   
If she was going to beat Xizor at his own game, she had to use all of her abilities ...even the Force.   
She looked over at Han, and saw that he was focusing on Cray, who sat opposite from them. Apparently, he still didn't trust the HRD, and Leia couldn't blame him. After all, she had tried to kill him, Anakin, and Callista on Coruscant. But Leia believed that Cray was on their side. She placed her hand over Han's, slightly squeezing, and that seemed to ease some of his tension. She looked over at the HRD, and offered her a silent nod.   
Cray was carrying no weapons of any kind, but Leia knew that the HRD was capable of killing a person within seconds. She was more than a capable opponent, even without a blaster.   
Outside the durasteel walls of the _Shapeshifter_, Leia could hear the sounds of battle. The B-wings surrounding the _Shapeshifter_ began firing as they met Black Sun's TIE fighters. She could not see what was happening, but a part of her was grateful for that. A starfighter exploded near the shuttle, causing the walls to shudder. The Republic soldiers held their breaths, their anxiety palpable. A part of Leia still could not believe what was happening. The Republic had spent years--no, decades--fighting the Empire. Every time, the Imperials rose under the leaderships of warlords like Thrawn, or Daala, or Zsinj, and every time the Republic was able to drive them back. The closest the Empire ever got to true victory was when the cloned Emperor had driven the Republic from Coruscant to the moon of Da Soocha. That had been one of the most difficult battles the Republic had ever fought, but in the end, they had triumphed. And now...this had happened.   
Xizor, a man the Republic had thought dead, had returned, now in the form of clones, and did something the Empire had only managed to do once. By kidnapping Hope and threatening to kill her if the Republic didn't evacuate the planet, he had gained complete control over Coruscant, had surprised the Republic fleet with implanted detonators that had succeeded in obliterating over half of their ships, and now was moving on to the final kill. Even with the Hapans, Verpines, and Barabels on their side, the Republic was still having a difficult time with the Black Sun fleet. The future of the Republic depended on this mission. Leia knew they were taking a large risk by doing this. At any moment, one of the Black Sun ships could fire a single shot at them, and the shuttle would be done for. If they failed...then all hope was lost.   
"We're entering Coruscant's atmosphere," the pilot said over theintercom. "Good thing that none of Xizor's ships fired on us."   
_Yes_, Leia thought. _Very good thing_. Relief flooded her as the _Shapeshifter_ left the heat of the battle and plowed through the planet's atmosphere.   
"All right, here's the plan," Leia said to everyone gathered in the room. "We're heading for the Imperial Palace. My guess is, Xizor will be busy with the fighting up in orbit, that his security will be lax. That'll give us the advantage."   
"But Madame President," one of the soldiers said, "what if Black Sun has planned a trap for us?"   
"We have no choice," Leia said sternly. "Trap or not, this is the only way we can defeat Xizor and regain control of Coruscant. Once we've landed, we head inside the palace. Kill anyone who stands in our way. I'm not going to take any chances."   
She looked each soldier in the eye, feeling their fears at facing death...as well as their determination. "If Xizor wants a fight with the New Republic," Leia said, "then we're going to give him one he will never forget."  
  
"Ma'am, the fighters have been launched," Commander Teridan reported to Guri. The HRD nodded as she continued watching the orbital battle grow more violent and explosive as the Verpines and Barabels joined in the fray.   
"The Republic will never even see them coming." Teridan did not seem as confident.  
"Um...ma'am, if I may...it seems that the Republic has reinforcements."   
Guri merely shrugged. "So, what if they do? We already have the Republic fleet reeling. Just take them out, and the rest will follow."   
An explosion from a Corellian corvette spread across the viewscreen, causing the Black Sun personnel to shield their eyes. Guri, however, did not budge. "It seems as if the Verpines and Barabels are no longer at each other's throats, after so many years of fighting. How amusing."   
So far, the battle had gone on for over twenty minutes, and Black Sun still had the upper hand. Another corvette burst apart into flames under concentrated fire from three Star Destroyers, enveloping dozens of small fighters, enemy and ally alike, in its wake. In the space of two minutes, two more Republic ships were destroyed, causing bright, spectacular novas that lit across the bright Coruscant sky.   
Guri's chest swelled as thousands of TIEs began overwhelming the Hapan fleet like piranha-beetles. Despite the violence of it all, the battle still held a certain...beauty to it.   
"Oh, Xizor," she said. "If only you were here to see this."   
The door to the control room, slid open, and Teridan cowered back, his eyes bulging out in shock. Guri spun around, expecting another report...and almost gasped. The HRD was rarely surprised, but this time was an exception.   
"My Prince?"   
Xizor entered the control room, his purple-blue robes slapping against the floor. He did not look happy at all. "My Lord, what are you doing here?" Guri asked. "I thought you were still on--"   
"Apparently, Guri, you were right," Xizor cut in. "The wife of Skywalker was a far better adversary than I had anticipated."   
Guri nodded, regaining her composure, as she realized what had happened. "She destroyed your clone?"   
Xizor nodded, fuming. "As well as all the clones I had hidden underground. I'll have my revenge later." He turned to Teridan, who stood beside Guri, literally shaking with fear. "You, gather all the men at our disposal."   
Guri and Teridan both exchanged confused looks. "My Lord, I'm not sure I understand--"   
"We have visitors coming, Guri," Xizor said, masking his anger with a devilish smile. "And what kind of guests would we be if we weren't there to...greet them?"   
  
The Imperial Palace was in plain view through the cockpit viewport as the _Shapeshifter_ closed in on the pyramid-shaped behemoth. Leia stood behind the pilot, her brown eyes penetrating the palace. She could barely make out the shapes of people dressed in Black Sun uniforms, standing near the entrance to the palace, viewing the massive battle in the sky.   
"There," she pointed. "That's where we'll land."   
The _Shapeshifter_'s blaster cannons sprung to life, firing upon the unsuspecting Black Sun minions. They barely had time to look up before they disappeared in a fiery haze of black smoke. Leia felt a brief twinge of sympathy for the people they had just killed, but it quickly went away at the thought of Xizor. He was no better than the Empire ever was. If she wanted to win this war, she would have to kill.   
The _Shapeshifter_ touched down, and the group disassembled. The pilot waited for the smoke to clear, then extended the ship's ramp, and Leia was the first one out, followed by Han, Cray, and soon the rest of the soldiers. They set their rifles ready, awaiting their next orders. Leia took a moment to look up at the clear afternoon sky, where she could see the faint signs of the space battle. The explosions looked so small when viewing them from the planet. She silently prayed that her fleet would be all right, and turned to address the soldiers.   
"You know what to do," she said. "Xizor's most likely set up his new headquarters in the control room. We go there, and wipe them out." She switched on her lightsaber, causing a bright sky-blue blade to come to life. "May the Force be with us. Let's go."   
With Leia leading the way, the group entered the Imperial Palace. The palace felt abandoned. The Main Hall, which normally would have been crowded with dozens of mingling people, guards, visitors, and senators, was now deserted, devoid of any life save for the group already gathered there. A cool breeze blew through the open door and into the chamber.   
"I'd never thought I'd say this about the Imperial Palace," Han muttered as he walked alongside his wife, "but this place gives me the creeps."   
Leia nodded. "Join the club," she added, as she grasped his hand comfortingly. Cray stepped ahead of the group, her eyes searching the entire area. "My scanners are indicating life signs," she reported, her hands clenching into fists. "To the east."   
Leia looked over at Han. "The control room," she said. She turned back to the soldiers. "Okay, everyone, let's start heading over there."   
But no sooner were the words out of her mouth did a salvo of blaster shots erupt out of nowhere, aimed straight for the group. "Get down!" Leia shouted as she flung herself to the floor. Han and Cray followed suit, but one of the soldiers wasn't so lucky. His head exploded in a wash of blood and gore, and his body tumbled lifelessly to the gray- carpteted ground.   
Leia looked up and saw over twenty or thirty Black Sun soldiers emerge from their various hiding places, blasters trained on her and her companions. Mostly aliens, she saw, but also a few humans, and far better armed than her group was. A tall, lithe blond joined them, and Leia recognized her as Guri, the Human Replica Droid. And standing beside her was none other than Xizor.   
"Well, well, well," the Dark Prince of Black Sun said in an amused and haughty tone. "If it isn't Leia Organa Solo and her band of sidekicks." His eyes burned a fiery orange as he looked down upon Leia. "It has been a long time, Leia."   
Leia gave the Falleen a murderous glare that could melt quantum armor. "Not long enough, Xizor."   
Xizor's smile merely widened, and Leia wanted so hard to beat his face in, if it meant wiping off that all-too-familiar smirk off. Very few people she had encountered in her life had managed to make her blood boil as much as Xizor.   
"So, my dear President," Xizor said, "why, may I ask, have you decided to trespass on my planet?"   
Leia almost stood at that moment. "This is not your planet, Xizor!" she snapped. "Coruscant rightfully belongs to the New Republic. And we are going to get it back, no matter what you try to do."   
Xizor shook his head. "You poor dear. Still deluded, even after everything I have managed to accomplish. I'm disappointed." He nodded to his soldiers. "Kill them."   
His minions opened fire. Leia rolled aside, narrowly, missing a shot that burned a hole through the carpet, right where she had been laying just seconds ago. She stood to one knee, and deflected an incoming bolt with her lightsaber, sending it flying into the wall. Her group was clearly outnumbered, but they were still determined to fight. As one, her remaining soliders stood and fired at Xizor's men. The Dark Prince himself took refuge behind the turbolift, brandishing a small hold- out blaster. The Black Sun warriors surged forth, their weapons firing over and over again. Within seconds, several of Leia's soldiers went down, burning holes in their bodies. Leia ducked as a Weequay swung a vibroax for her head, and her energy blade, slicing through the alien's stomach. The Weequay gurgled as black blood spurted from its gut, and Leia kicked him down.   
"Han!" she shouted. "Cover me!"   
"Got it!" Han said, as he guarded Leia's back, firing at anyone who tried to attack her from behind. He shot a Black Sun minion right between the eyes, dropping him like a fallen pillar.   
The Main Hall was alive with the sound of blasters firing and the screams of dying soldiers from both sides. Leia deflected another bolt that would have struck her in the thigh, and focused on Xizor. If she could just get to him and take him down...   
Not far off, Cray fought hard. With a vibroblade she had taken from a dead soldier, she stabbed it through the ribs of a Gamorrean as he prepared to strike her head off with a vibroax. As he fell, his ax tumbled through the air, and Cray caught it with both hands. She spun, and decapitated another warrior. Despite their best efforts, Leia knew that her soldiers wouldn't hold off for much longer. Already half of her men were dead, and the rest were quickly following. She had to get to Xizor...and fast.   
As they moved through the battle, Leia and Han fought together, each protecting the other, cutting down soldiers left and right. Leia concentrated on the Force, and a Black Sun warrior was knocked back through the air and through the enormous glass window, sending shattered debris to the floor, showering everyone with glass.   
From the corner of Leia's eye, she saw Guri, Xizor's HRD, butchering the remaining soldiers. With a single movement with her hand, she disarmed one soldier, snaked her arm around his throat, and snapped his neck in half. Another came at her, intending to impale her with his vibroblade. Guri sidestepped and snatched him by the arm, and hurled him into the air, not even breaking a sweat. Cray finished off another Black Sun opponent, and her eyes turned to Guri, who was busy mopping the floor with two other soldiers. She punched one, shattering his jaw, unclipped a ryyk blade from her belt, and slashed it across the second's ribs. The soldier screamed as blood flowed, splattering the gray carpet, and he collapsed. Guri finished off his comrade by jamming the Wookiee blade through his gut, eliciting a single pained groan from the man before he died.   
_She's good_, Cray thought, as she shouted, "Hey!"   
Guri turned and faced Cray, a smile curving at the corners of her mouth. The two HRDs faced each other, ignoring the battle that enfolded around them. "Let's say you and I throw down," Cray said as she strode over to Guri. The HRD merely grinned, and it was then that Cray saw the stun baton in her other hand. She tried to avoid it, but she wasn't fast enough. With an incredibly quick move, Guri poked the baton into Cray's ribs. She felt the stun ridges just as soon as an electrical shock ran through her body, causing her limbs to cease functioning.   
Cray fell to her knees, paralyzed. No matter how hard she tried, she could not move. She barely had time to remember what had happened before Guri jammed the stun baton against her body. A new rush of electricity erupted through her body, and the HRD fell unconscious.   
"Xizor!" Leia shouted over the din. Another minion came at her, and she quickly cut him down with her lightsaber. "You can't win this!"   
Xizor stepped away from his hiding place, still wearing that smug grin. "Oh, that's where you're wrong, Organa Solo," he said. "Apparently, you have been so determined to win back your precious planet, that you didn't even realize that I had led you into a trap." "What, this?" Leia said, gesturing toward the battle.   
Xizor shook his head, and nodded over her shoulder. "That."   
Leia and Han shared a confused glance, and both turned around-- Almost immediately, an incredible wave of pain seared through her body. All her nerves screamed at once, filling her with so much agony. It felt as if someone was tearing her apart from the inside.   
She and Han collapsed to the floor, convulsing, and through the pain, Leia saw a strange-looking gun had been mounted from behind a cluster of plants, with two men operating it, its nozzle pointed at Han and Leia.   
A neural disruptor.   
Xizor had a neural disruptor. And she had never seen it coming. The disruptor fired again, sending invisible waves of electricty toward them, and Leia screamed, quickly followed by Han. As darkness began surrounding her vision, the last thing she saw was Xizor's smile...  
  
Xizor watched quietly as his minions finished with the battle. The New Republic soldiers had fought valiantly, but in the end, their efforts were futile. They were just simply outnumbered and outgunned. Five minutes later, they all lay dead and charred on the floor. Xizor nodded and clapped. "Excellent work, my friends," he said, as Guri came over to him, carrying the unconscious Cray on her shoulders. "Take these three to the control room, and chain them up. I want the President to be awake when my fleet wipes out the last remaining ship in her pitiful fleet."   
Guri nodded, and she called for the surviving warriors to help her with the prisoners. Xizor left, never looking back.  
  
The sounds of fighting grew louder in Callista's ears as she burst through the tangle of jungle trees, her hair almost getting caught by a branch. A thick trail of smoke rose into the afternoon air. It smelled like burning flesh. Callista wiped the sweat off her face, her hand unconsciously going down to her belt, where she always kept her lightsaber.   
But it was gone, taken away by the Kerash a long time ago. The only weapon she had was the Force.   
_It'll have to do,_ Callista thought to herself as she doubled her speed. She could clearly hear the screams of the dying as she approached Semaj. _If I can control my anger against the Kerash, I might be able to beat them for good. And Armenia might be with them..._   
Almost immediately, she felt a fresh surge of anger rush through her veins at the thought of seeing Armenia again, followed by embarrassment at having been defeated by a non-Force opponent. It quickly went away, and Callista regained her focus. If Armenia was with the Kerash in Semaj, she would have to be the first to go. She was far too dangerous to remain alive.   
Callista finally reached the outskirts of the small village. Immediately, she saw the flames that were eating away at the village gates. Black, charred pieces of human bones lay scattered on the muddy ground, remnants of the once-mighty barrier that protected the village. Callista coughed as she felt smoke enter her nostrils, and her eyes teared. As she ran past the village gate, she saw the battle.   
Black-robed warriors clashed with brown-robed ones--the Kerash rebels, Callista quickly realized. Bodies of slain warriors from both sides littered the ground. Most of the village huts, including the conical council building, were enveloped in flames. Blood soaked into the ground, coloring the mud a dark red.   
And there, directing the battle while simultaneously slaying her opponents, was Armenia. Next to her stood a purple-robed man, who viewed the skirmish with no small amount of amusement.   
"Fyorga!" one of the rebels shouted, rushing over to Callista. He pulled back the brown hood that hid his face, revealing Kieran.   
"Kieran!" Callista exclaimed. "What's happening here?"   
"Armenia and Gershon," Kieran explained, pointing toward the woman and the purple-robed priest who stood beside her. "They came to Semaj for the Blood of the Unknowing. Every last villager is dead." There was much sadness behind his voice as he spoke. "We came here to stop them...but we were too late."   
Callista listened with quiet shock, her eyes returning to the blood that stained the ground. _Every last villager is dead...   
_"The Kerash have the blood they need to begin the Coming," Kieran continued. "We must prevent Armenia and Gershon from returning to the temple!" He looked over at her with concern. "Did Sonya get to you?"   
Callista nodded. "Yeah, she did. She...She's dead."   
Kieran sighed. "She was a brave woman. She finally has received the peace she deserved." He took Callista's hand in his own, his eyes silently pleading. "Fyorga, you are the Angel of Light. You bear the Calthazar we need to stop Arak. Will you help us fight in the name of all that is good?"   
Callista didn't even need to think to answer his question. "I'll help," she said firmly. "But I need a weapon." Kieran nodded, and snatched a golden staff from a dead Kerash soldier, and handed it to Callista.   
"Then let us go," he said.   
Callista nodded, and the two charged back into the battle.   
Callista met the first Kerash warrior she saw with her staff, smacking it against the sword he carried. The warrior turned to her in surprise, and swung the deadly blade toward her torso. Anticipating the attack seconds before it came, Callista brought the staff up, deflecting the double-edged blade to the right. She spun, bringing the staff down to parry another slash. As the Kerash prepared to try a third attack, Callista brought the staff into his midsection, hard enough to bruise, drawing a groan of pain from the cloaked man. With a second blow, she struck him in the ribs. The familiar sound of snapped ribs filled the air, and the Kerash fell, for the moment incapacitated.   
From the corner of her eye, she saw Kieran fighting off another warrior with his sword. As the two blades clanged loudly together, the Kerash sent a kick into the rebel leader's stomach, catching him off guard. Kieran was unprepared for the surprise attack, and he fell on his back, the wind driven from his lungs. Callista rushed to his aid, just as the Kerash prepared to deliver a killing blow to the neck that would sever Kieran's head from his body. Callista's staff struck through the air, hitting the sword directly in the handle, knocking it from the Kerash's hands. It fell to the ground, useless.   
The Kerash warrior turned to face her, shocked, and Callista responded by whacking the side of her golden staff against his head, knocking him out cold. The warrior slumped to the floor against the wall of a burning hut. He would live, but it would be a while before he would wake up again. Kieran groaned as he got up slowly to his feet. Callista bent down to help him, and he gratefully took her hand.   
"Thank you, Fyorga," he said, respect gleaming in his eyes. She smiled in reply. "Call me Callista," she said.   
Kieran nodded, but his smile vanished when his eyes turned to Armenia. The leader of the Kerash warriors was clearly more than a match for the rebels, as she mercilessly killed anyone who stood in her way. One of Kieran's warriors charged toward her in an attempt to impale her with his spear, but the woman sidestepped, and sliced her saber across his back as he passed her.   
"We have to get to Armenia," Kieran said gravely. "If we kill her, that will send her minions running."   
Callista nodded, turning to face the Kerash woman. "You can leave that to me," she said.   
The battle continued, growing fiercer and fiercer by the minute. The rebels were fighting as hard as they could, but slowly, the Kerash were beginning to gain the upper hand. By now, the flames had spread throughout the entire village, setting half a dozen warriors on both sides on fire. Callista struck another Kerash squarely in the hip with her staff, and then in the back, almost breaking the man's spine. The Kerash fell, unconscious. Another came at her, screaming, and Callista quickly decked him with a solid sidekick to the chest. She looked over at Kieran to see how he was doing. The rebel leader, equipped again with his sword, sliced his weapon into the ribs of a black- cloaked Kerash, causing blood to cover the rusty blade. Kieran kicked the Kerash at the base of his neck, sending him rolling over a foodstand and to the ground. Not far away, another rebel had a Kerash cornered a burning hut. She thrust her spear deep into the man's gut, impaling him against the wall, leaving him to either bleed to death or be swallowed by the raging flames. Callista turned away, the sight of the blood finally getting to her. She had not seen so much blood shed since Dathomir, and it made her sick to her stomach.   
Armenia still remained unchallenged. She sent a kick into a warrior's chest, knocking him flat on him stomach. Another rebel, a young girl of no more than fifteen or sixteen, tried to fight her with a sword that looked too heavy to her to carry. Armenia's sword tangled with the girl's weapon, and she pushed her weapon to the left, knocking the girl to the ground. "Archers!" she suddenly shouted as she dropped another warrior with a kick to the gut. "Attack!"   
Callista watched with horror as several dozen hidden Kerash emerged from the trees surrounding the dying village, equipped with long-range bows. Arrows began flying past the burning wall, striking down several rebels. A young boy went down beside Callista as an arrow went clean through his head, splattering blood all over the ground and Callista's jumpsuit. Within seconds, the tide had turned. The Kerash fighters began overwhelming the rebels, leaving many dead in their wake.   
The Kerash archers continued firing without mercy, and more rebels fell. One got shot through the eye, while another fell with an arrow stuck in her gut. The rebels continued fighting with valor and strength...but they were losing.   
"Retreat!" Kieran shouted, raising his sword high into the air. "We will live to fight another day!"   
At the sound of his voice, Armenia turned to him, a small crossbow in one hand. She aimed at the rebel leader, and fired, sending a single arrow straight toward him. Callista saw it coming, but Kieran didn't.   
"Look out!" she shouted, but she was too late. Kieran cried out in pain as the arrow struck him just above the left breastbone, and he collapsed to his knees. Callista ran to help him, but two other rebels were one step ahead of her. They helped support their leader on both sides and helped him out of the doomed village. Within seconds, the remaining warriors followed suit. Callista stood there, watching as the rebels took flight. Arrows continued flying from the trees, striking at the fleeing fighters. One young woman was struck squarely in the back, and she fell, ignored by her fellow comrades as they ran for their lives. _You butchers_! Callista thought with disgust. _You've already got them on the run! Why can't you just let them go?_ She prepared to follow them to wherever their hiding place was--when her eyes fell upon Armenia again.   
The Kerash leader's back was turned to her, as she watched Semaj burn slowly to the ground, while her warriors mopped up the last fighting rebels. She turned as a rebel came at her with a club, and she brought the tip of her sword into his face, spraying blood into the air. The man fell, immediately dead. Armenia was most likely unaware of Callista's presence. She still had a chance to take her by surprise and--Even as she headed over in Armenia's direction, a Kerash stepped in her way. She had not been expecting him that she was mometarily shocked...which was all he needed.   
The Kerash sent a backhand across her face. Callista reeled, her equilibrium shot. As she turned to face him, his knee flew into her gut. Callista doubled over in pain and fell to one knee, trying to regain her breath. She looked up, and saw Armenia, standing only a few feet in front of her, her back still turned to her. She was so close--   
The Kerash's fist met her face, and Callista sunk to the ground, no longer able to fight. She laid there amongst the flames, dazed, watching as the Kerash took care of the last remaining rebels in the village. She tried to get back up, but her vision swam, and she fell back down. Armenia was still there, oblivious to Callista's presence. _Just give me a few minutes, and I'll be able to...   
_A strong pair of arms suddenly grabbed her from behind, and began to drag her. Callista quickly looked up, and regretted it in an instant. The dizziness returned full force, and she almost lost consciousness. Her eyes looked up at the person dragging her, but her vision was so blurry that she couldn't see his or her face.   
A voice broke through the confusion. "I'm getting you out of here." A woman's voice, which Callista immediately recognized.   
"E-Emna?" she said.  
"Shhh," she whispered. "We can't let them see us. I'm taking you to the Kerash Caves."   
Callista groaned as she felt the blackness return to claim her. The last thing she saw was Emna carrying her out of the dying village, and the victorious howl of the Kerash...   
Callista woke to the flicker of torchlight. The sound of a rag being dipped in water filled her ears, and she turned to find herself in the Kerash caves, where she had found Sonya and the ancient tablet. The hieroglyphics written in the stone walls reflected off the reddish-gold torchlight.   
Emna's face suddenly came into view, wringing a wet rag. "Are you feeling okay now?" she asked as she gingerly rubbed the rag against a wound Callista had sustained on the jaw during the Semaj fight. "You're not too badly damaged, from what I can tell."   
Callista managed a nod, groaning as a small twinge of pain shot through her jaw. As her vision started to clear, the memories of the fighting came back to her: the bodies that covered the mud-soaked ground, the blood, Armenia wounding Kieran, the fire that swept through the village like a burning wave of death...   
And in an instant, Callista realized something. The tablet Sonya had given to her was still in the healing hut in Semaj...   
And if she was right, then that meant the tablet had gone up with flames, with the rest of the village.   
Emna seemed to sense her horrified emotions, for she laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" she asked.   
Callista looked around, and found that they were alone in the cavern room. "Where...Where's Armenia?" she asked.   
"She's in the jungle, searching for the remaining rebels," Emna explained softly, offering Callista a ladleful of water, which she gratefully accepted. "You should consider yourself very lucky that I saved you when I did. If Armenia had known that you were assisting the underground movement-- "   
Callista drank the water in one large gulp, feeling it cool down her parched throat. She looked over at Emna and said, "Armenia is a butcher. Did you see what she did to those villagers at Semaj? All because she needed their blood!"   
Emna looked confused. "What are you talking about? Armenia came to Semaj because the rebels were hiding there. She knew about their plans to overthrow the Kerash, and they needed to be stopped immediately. During the fighting, a fire started and spread throughout the entire village. It was an accident. It's tragic that innocent people died, but that does not make Armenia a murderer. I'm only lucky that I was gone at the time, helping to heal the sick in Trakoa."   
Callista listened to Emna's words with horror. It sounded almost as if the former Nightsister had been brainwashed. "And how did you draw that conclusion?" she demanded, sounding more vehement than she had wanted to.   
"Armenia told us," the girl explained. "A few hours after the battle, after I had hidden you here in the caves, she told everyone in Trakoa, who had seen the smoke from the fire. And we believed her...for the leader of the Kerash does not lie."   
"Well, she did!" Callista snapped, standing up, ignoring the pain and nausea. "Emna, do you have any idea at all what is happening here?"   
"I don't know what you're talking about," Emna countered, standing up as well, her voice taking on a defensive tone. "Callista, are you sure you're feeling all right? You seem a little tense."   
"That's because I am!" she replied. "Emna, Armenia is evil."   
"No, she's not! She's a good woman, Callista. She may be a little harsh and merciless when it comes to fighting her enemies, but she has the best intentions. Besides, those rebels tried to oppose her and the Kerash. They all deserved to die."   
Callista had no idea how she was going to convince Emna that she was on the wrong side, but she gave it her best shot. "Okay, Emna, I need you to listen to me. Armenia has been lying to you from the beginning. First of all, Cray is not dead. She's alive."   
That took Emna by surprise. "Alive? The...The leader is alive?"   
Callista nodded. "Yes, only she's not the leader. She too was deceived by Armenia. She and the Kerash priests plan to bring Arak into our universe."   
"The Dark One?" Emna said. "But...that's ridiculous. Arak cannot be brought back from Raximidaj. The priests say that she is trapped in there for all time."   
"She's not, Emna! They're lying to you. They plan to use my daughter to bring her back. They've been planning it all along." She grabbed the young woman by the shoulders. "Do you have any idea what will happen if they succeed? Arak is far more powerful than anything we've ever seen. If she's freed, she'll destroy the entire universe!" "Get your hands off me!" Emna snapped, breaking free from Callista's hold. "You're a liar. Armenia and Tsin are well aware of the dangers of freeing Arak from Raximidaj. They would never dare to attempt a feat such as that." She looked Callista over, a venomous look on her face that Callista had never seen before on her. "I think you're crazy."   
"Emna!" Callista said, trying hard not to lose her temper. "You used to be a Nightsister! You know how evil they were. Armenia is just as evil as Gethzerion and Anya, maybe even more so. You can't ignore this." Her voice softened. "Look, I can't fight them alone. I need your help."   
Emna shook her head. "No! I refuse to believe it." She stepped away from Callista, fear now shining in her eyes.   
Finally losing it, Callista threw up her hands. "Refuse all you want. Find me when you wake up and realize the truth."   
She turned and left. "Callista, wait!" Emna shouted."Come back!"   
Ignoring her pleas, Callista kept running. Darkness enclosed around her as she left the room, shutting out the last vestiges of light. _I have to get out of here...I have to stop the Kerash...   
_Callista ran, and as she ran, she could hear footsteps behind her, following her. At first she thought it was Emna, chasing after her. But something inside told her that it was not Emna. It was someone--or something--else...  
A voice whispered ominously in her head. _Keep running, my dear. You're never going to get out. You'll never stop what has to be done. Wherever you go, I will always follow you...   
Shut up!_ Callista shouted in her mind, running even faster. The cave's entrance seemed so far away..._Whoever you are, stay away from me!_   
_I'm coming, Callista. Sooner than you think. You can try to avoid me, but eventually I will find you. No one can escape me, and no one ever will. For no one can escape the hand of death...   
_Callista suddenly broke free from the prison of the cave, and into sunlight. It washed over her skin, filling her with relief and freedom. The jungle now surrounded her, the gnarltrees stretching endlessly into the clear blue sky. Callista continued running, never looking back toward the cave. The voice in her head disappeared, its final, chilling words remaining in her mind.   
_No one can escape the hand of death...  
_After an hour, she finally stopped when she reached a river. Greenish-brown water flowed downwards toward Semaj, where smoke still rose from the remnants of the charred huts and corpses. Callista seated herself on a large rock perched above the filthy water, her breath coming back to her in large gasps, everything that had transpired since her arrival on Anasazi coming back to her all at once. _I have to get out of here. I need time to think..._ Calming herself, she sank into a Jedi trance.   
_The Force surrounds us all. It binds the universe together. It is the creator of all life. All living things, from the largest creature to the smallest cell, are connected with the Force. It is stronger than the darkness, and if you follow the path of the light, you will eventually master it...   
_The words of Djinn Altis rang in her mind as Callista meditated, words she had not heard in decades. Djinn had said those words for the first time when she had begun her training. And now, they were starting to return to her...The Force is divided into two entities: the light...and the dark.   
_The dark side can give you easy power, power that will eventually destroy you from within. The light is more rewarding, but far more difficult to master. The darkness may be strong, but the light will always be stronger. Just one small flicker of light can destroy a mighty shadow. It is stronger than anything in the universe...   
Even a god, _Callista thought.   
Her eyes suddenly opened, and she found herself no longer on the rock in the Anasazi river, but on a large plateau that looked over the endless jungle. The smoke rising from the ruins of Semaj was gone, no longer disturbing the calm afternoon sky. In the distance, Callista could see a magnificent temple.   
"Where am I?" she asked aloud, looking around. Unlike the jungle, the plateau was empty. No gnarltress disturbed it; it was merely a large piece of rock, sprouting no life at all. "How did I get here?"   
_My answer lies here... _Callista walked near the edge of the cliff, her smoke-gray eyes penetrating the deep jungle below her. It looked so far away from up there... A cool wind blew from the sky, sending goosebumps up Callista's naked arms. She unconsciously rubbed her arms, the cold feeling both uncomfortable and exhilirating. What is this?   
An image flickered before her eyes. A woman's body appeared on the ground before her, her arms and legs sprawled lifelessly on all sides, her neck curved at an odd angle. In her hand was a bottle of some kind, spilling a strange liquid on the dirt. Her face was blurred, making it impossible to determine who it was. Callista stepped over for a better look--   
--and it disappeared. She stepped back in shock, her brain barely able to register this. "What's going on?" she shouted, her voice carrying into the horizon. Voices began whispering in her head. Familiar and unfamiliar voices, of people crying, sobbing. A young girl's voice--Callista didn't recognize it, and yet, it seemed so familiar--rose above all of them, filled with pain and sorrow. Callista put her hands up to her head, willing for the voices to go away.   
"Get out!" she shouted. "Get out of my head!"   
It was then that she saw a man standing in front of her, his back turned to her. She glimpsed at the short sandy-blond hair, and she immediately recognized him. A great burst of joy blossomed in her heart. "Luke!" she exclaimed, running over to him. "Luke, is that you?"   
But Luke ignored her. His back was still turned to her, and he seemed to be talking to someone. Callista tried to listen, but his words came out as indecipherable mumblings. She couldn't see who he was talking to.   
"What?!" a voice suddenly said--the same voice of the girl Callista had heard. "What are you...No...No, it can't be true. It can't be TRUE!"   
"Luke?" Callista asked, her voice a soft whimper. He still didn't answer. "Luke, can you hear me?" She reached to touch him on the shoulder...   
But he had disappeared. Callista was once again alone on the plateau. "What is going on?" she said, to no one. Her eyes returned to the horizon, and it seemed more empty than before. "What does this all mean?"   
_That depends from your point of view_, a voice suddenly said.   
Callista whirled, expecting to see someone standing behind her--another false image--but found no one. The voice was one she had never heard before. "Where are you?" she demanded, looking around the plateau, and then up at the sky. Had it come from...   
_I am everywhere_, the voice said, echoing everywhere around her. It sounded so beautiful and peaceful, more so than anything Callista had heard in her life.   
_Do not be afraid of me. I am the essence of your soul, Callista. I know all, see all, surround all, penetrate all...and bind all. I am the creator of all living things. I am the source of a Jedi's power...the source of all life. I am the Kerash's Shemra.   
_Callista finally understood. "The Force?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.   
_That is one way I am known_. The voice indeed seemed to be emanating from the sky. But there was nothing up there...other than a few white clouds. Callista's knees suddenly became as weak as water, and she felt like collapsing. Never in her life had she imagined speaking to the Force itself. She had no idea what to do--kneel, cover her eyes, or run.   
"You...You are actually the Force itself?" she said, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her eyes looked up. "Why am I here?"   
_You already know the answer to that, Callista.   
_"The Kerash?" she asked.   
_Yes._   
Callista felt some of her strength return as she asked, "How can I defeat them? How can I destroy Arak?"   
_I created all life in the beginning of time. The gods were my first creation. For eons, they flourished, and I watched over them, like a proud mother. When Arak became corrupt, however, and started drawing power from darkness, I had no choice but to destroy her...and the rest of the other gods as well._   
Callista remembered Kieran's story of the downfall of the gods. "You allowed Sheherhera to trap Arak in Raximidaj, knowing that it would destroy the other gods as well?" _It was a painful decision, one that still haunts me, and one that will always haunt me until the end of time. But I did what had to be done. If Arak had corrupted the other gods, they would have become far too powerful for even me to quell them. I had no choice...and now, it looks as if Arak wants to be freed once again.  
_"How can I stop her?" Callista asked.   
_Calthzar. It is the key to defeating Arak once and for all. The Calthazar must be part of the Sacred Trinity when the final battle takes place. When Sheherhera went up against Arak with her Trinity, she lacked Calthazar, and that led to her downfall, as well as Arak's. With Calthazar, and the Angel of Light, you will be able to fight the goddess of the sun without losing your life.   
Then, and only then, will Arak be destroyed for all time.   
_"What is Calthazar?" Callista said, in a more urgent tone. She was so close to finding the last piece to the puzzle. "What does it mean?" There was a painfully long pause, before the voice finally replied.   
_It means 'hope' in the ancient Anasazi language_.   
Callista stared up into the sky, dumbfounded beyond belief. "H-Hope? You mean, my.."   
_You named your daughter well, Callista. From the moment she was born, Hope was destined to end the reign of Arak. She can bring Arak from Raximidaj, and she can also destroy her. She is a powerful being, Callista, more so than anyone ever thought. The Force is strong with her, so strong that she could become the most powerful Jedi the galaxy has ever seen...if her powers are used right. Remember...the Force is stronger than any god. Remember this, and you will succeed_.   
Callista finally nodded, still unable to believe that the key to fighting Arak had been with her the whole time. Kieran had been right that the Angel of Light bore the Calthazar. The mother bore the daughter.   
"I have another question," Callista suddenly said, managing to surprise herself. "Those visions I had, of Luke...what did they mean? Is it a possible future, or...?"   
_That is a question I cannot answer. That is for you to decide. You must choose your path yourself, Callista. It has been that way since the beginning. The future is always in motion. Never forget that. Nothing is written in stone...  
_ The voice seemed to be growing fainter and fainter. "Wait!" she shouted. "What about...How am I going to fight Arak? If she's in Raximidaj, how will Hope and I be able to..."   
_You will know in time._ The plateau suddenly became enveloped in a wave of bright light, and before Callista's dream vanished, the final words of the Force whispered into her ears, _I will be with you, Callista...always..._  
  
The first thing Leia felt when she awoke was grogginess, followed by a fresh burst of pain. She groaned, feeling the aftereffects of being hit by a neural disruptor. Few people survived after being hit with such a weapon. She could only be grateful that the intensity had been low.   
Her eyes fluttered open, and the first person she saw was Xizor. She unconsciously started to back away, then realized that her arms were chained to the wall. Her lightsaber and blaster had been taken away from her. She risked a glance to her right, and saw Han chained next to her, still unconscious. Cray had been imprisoned on the other side of the room, surrounded by guards. Apparently, she had been awake for some time, and was regarding Xizor--and especially Guri, who stood protectively next to the Dark Prince, clutching a sharp torture hook--with a poisonous glare.   
"Finally awake, are we?" Xizor said joyfully, clapping his clawed hands together. "I trust the neural disruptor wasn't...too painful for you."   
Leia glowered at the Falleen. "You bastard, you're never going to win this. Why don't you just surrender now, and be done with it?"   
Xizor chuckled, stepping closer to her. Leia realized that she had a perfect shot for his groin--but chose to remain still. She knew that any attempt at fighting while incapacitated would only make matters worse. Her chance to escape would come later.   
For now, she had to play along with Xizor.   
"I guess you haven't been paying much attention at what's going on," Xizor said, and gestured toward the viewscreen with one claw. "Take a look yourself. As you can see, your pitiful fleet is losing, even with the help of the Hapans."   
Leia's eyes darted over to the screen. Xizor's words rang true; the battle was not going well for the Republic. Even now, the Star Destroyers were closing in on the remaining ships, forming a deadly triangle, all weapons blazing.   
"How did you do it, Xizor?" Leia suddenly asked, turning back to the Falleen. "I saw the _Falleen's Fist_ explode. There was no way you could have survived that--"   
"Indeed, I didn't," he said, tracing his finger lightly down her jawline. The long, ragged claw felt sharp and unwelcome on Leia's skin. "Before my death, I had ordered to have clones, exact replicas of me, constructed and hidden deep within the Menarai Mountains, so that in case anything happened to me...I would rise to continue reigning over Black Sun. And as you can see..." Leia could feel his allure washing over her, trying to force her into surrendering herself to him. She drew strength from the Force, and quickly repelled it away. "Don't even try it, Xizor," she snapped. "That trick's not gonna work again."   
Xizor sighed in mock-disappointment. "What is with you women?" he asked. "First Skywalker's woman, and now you. I swear, women these days are becoming harder to please..."   
Leia almost gasped. _Skywalker's woman...  
_ "What did you do to Callista?" she demanded.   
"Oh, not much. Tried to seduce her, had sex with her, you know...the usual." Xizor smiled at the mention of making love to Callista. Leia listened with horror. The idea of her sister-in-law lying in the same bed with this...this worthless piece of slime disgusted her more than anything. Without even knowing it, she was struggling violently against the chains that held her back, determined to break free. Xizor laughed, watching the fruitless struggle with amusement.   
"Don't even bother, Leia," he said. "Those chains are pure durasteel. Even the HRD over there," he gestured to Cray, "would have a hard time with them."   
"Don't worry, Leia," Cray said from where she stood. "Callista's fine; she wouldn't touch him if he gave her all the credits in the galaxy. She probably kicked Xizor's sorry, amphibian ass all the way to the Maw Cluster."   
Guri went over to Cray so fast that Leia's eyes only registered a large blur. The handle of the torture hook came out, striking Cray sharply across the face. The HRD reeled, but refused to scream in pain.   
"Watch your tongue, Mingla!" Guri snapped, pressing the sharp point of the hook against her throat. "Or else you'll die, just like your original counterpart did."   
Cray looked over at Guri with a glare so evil that Leia almost expected lasers to burst from her eyes and disintegrate the other HRD right where she was standing. But nothing happened, and Cray lowered her eyes, unmoving. Guri nodded in approval, and went to join Xizor again.   
"You can't win this, Xizor," Leia said, her voice strong. She saw Guri playfully twirl the torture hook in one hand, but refused to be intimidated by it. "You may be able to keep Coruscant for a few days, or even a week at most, but in the end, we _will_ claim what is ours." She stopped struggling with the chains, knowing that it would do no good.   
Xizor did not look pleased. "Brave words, my dear. But in the end, that's all they are...mere words. I have complete control over this planet. My fleet is winning even as we speak. What makes you think you'll beat us?"   
"Because even if you defeat us, the fight will continue on," Leia shot back. "There are over a thousand worlds devoted to the New Republic. They'll know of this incident, and they won't hesitate to stop you. And they will stop you, no matter how long it takes." "Silence!" the Dark Prince hissed, snatching her by the chin. The claws almost tore into her skin. "Don't make me rip your throat out before the battle is over." He eyed her face, a devilish sneer playing across his handsome face. "Perhaps I will even make hot, passionate love to you before I kill you. I'm sure your husband will appreciate that."   
At that point, Han jerked awake. "Get your hands off my wife!" he threatened, pulling on his chains. "I swear, if you lay one hand on her, I'm gonna--"   
"Enough!" Xizor snapped. "Or maybe I'll make an example of your husband, Leia. Maybe the sight of seeing him die before your eyes will change your attitude." He turned to Guri. "Guri, show the good President what lies in store for her and her friends." Guri nodded and stalked over to Han, the hook pointed squarely for his stomach, a terrifying smile stretching across her red lips. Luke, Leia thought, knowing that her brother would hear her. _Luke, I need your help...  
_  
"Got another one!" Luke cheered as he blew another TIE fighter into oblivion. The black-armored ship exploded as the _Slave IV'_s blaster cannons ripped it apart, causing a fireball that damaged the solar panel of another fighter, sending it careening into the hull of a destroyer.   
"Great," Leanna replied sarcastically. "Now, only eight billion more TIE fighters to go. And that doesn't even count the Star Destroyers."   
Luke favored the woman with a grin. "Oh, come on. Be a little more optimistic than that," he urged, swerving the ship aside to avoid a volley of turbolasers. "Pessimism won't get you anywhere."   
This time, Leanna did smile. It was dry and bitter, but it was still a smile. "You're enjoying this fight far too much," she observed. "I thought you were supposed to be a Jedi Master."   
Luke shrugged. "True. But I used to be a fighter pilot for the Rebel Alliance." As he spoke, he remembered the very first time he had gone into battle: the original Death Star skirmish in the Yavin System. It had been one of the most terrifying battles Luke had ever experienced. And yet...it also brought out a sense of excitement that Luke only felt when fighting. Now, in the midst of this battle, he felt it start to return.  
"Two more fighters approaching," Kirana Ti said from her console. Seconds later, the _Slave IV_ rocked as two interceptors attacked from behind, firing their cannons. The green bolts bounced harmlessly off the ship's shields. Luke swerved the bounty hunter ship to the right, doing a complete about- face to face the attackers. The two TIEs were taken completely by surprsie, and fell victim to a hail of proton torpedoes.   
"Nice flying, Master Skywalker," Kam complimented, giving Luke a nod. As Luke prepared to reply, the ship began to shudder as it suffered several more hits. Luke's stomach lurched, and he almost threw up.   
"Was that a Star Destroyer?" he shouted over the din.   
"It's one of the Hapan ships," Kirana Ti said. "The _Song of War_."   
"The _Song of War_?" Luke said in recognition. "Isolder."   
As if on cue, the Hapan prince's voice erupted from the speakers. "Enemy ship, identify yourself."   
Luke frantically grabbed the comm, just as the _Slave IV _was hit again. "Isolder! It's me, Luke Skywalker!"   
"Luke?" Isolder sounded surprised. "What are you doing on--"   
"It's a long story," Luke said hastily. "I need to talk to Leia, Isolder."   
"She's on Coruscant," the prince explained. "She, Han, and a few others headed down to the Imperial Palace to eliminate Xizor. We haven't heard any word from them since."   
Luke exchanged concerned glances with Kirana Ti and Kam, when he suddenly felt a cold chill through the Force. Leia's voice rang in his ears.   
_Luke...Luke, I need your help..._   
"Leia," Luke said, then spoke through the comm. "Isolder I'm going down there. I think Leia's in trouble. She needs help."   
"I'm going to go check on Fett," Leanna suddenly said, turning to the Jedi Master. "Is that okay with you?"   
Luke looked over at her, unsure of what to say. Something inside him told him what Leanna's intent was... "Okay," was all he said. "Hurry back, though. We're gonna need you when we land."   
The _Slave IV _left the space battle and headed toward Coruscant.  
  
Leanna left the cockpit and closed the door shut behind her. She had seen Skywalker's strange look as she had asked to check on the bounty hunter. She knew that he had a pretty good idea what she was planning to do. And she didn't care. _If I'm going to kill him_, she thought, _now is the best time_.   
She looked over her shoulder to see that no one was following her, and strode off to finish what she had started so many years ago. She took out a single vibroblade from the holster on her leg, and headed down the narrow corridor, careful not to make too much noise, for several more of Skywalker's students were taking residence in the ship's various quarters.. Her eyes focused on the single door at the end of the hallway...where Fett had been imprisoned. She knew what was going to come, and she was both frightened and exhilirated...as well as pleased. Pleased that her revenge was finally coming.   
_Almost there_, she thought. _After so many years of searching, Llia, you're finally going to be avenged...   
_The door slid open when she punched in the code, and Leanna strode in without a greeting.   
Fett was cuffed down to his cot, staring up at the ceiling, looking almost dead. He turned at the sound of Leanna entering. "Well, well, well," he said dryly. "If it isn't the mighty Leanna Kai, come to kill the big, scary bounty hunter." Despite the sarcastic words, his voice remained flat and emotionless.   
"Shut up," Leanna snapped, heading over to the bounty hunter. "If you're not much of a prayer, Boba Fett, now would a great time to start." She pressed the blade against his throat, preparing to take the mask off so she could slit his throat.   
Fett sighed in resignation. "Very well. But there's one small problem."   
"And that is?"   
Fett brought his head up so that their foreheads almost touched. "I picked my cuffs."   



	16. Just Like Old Times

Chapter 16  
  
Isolder watched as the _Slave IV_ streamed toward Coruscant, unable to believe the good fortune they had just received. Luke Skywalker was here now! And he was off to help Leia and Han. If they succeeded in their mission, the tide of the battle would turn. But until then...it was up to him and the Republic to keep Xizor's fleet at bay.   
Pacing on the bridge deck of the Song of War, Isolder watched as the battle continued on the ship's enormous viewscreen. "Astarta, have all our fighters been deployed?" he asked the Amazon-like bodyguard next to him.   
Astarta nodded, steely-eyed. "Yes, my Lord."   
"Sir!" another officer called from her console. "The _Burning Rose_ has suffered severe damage! And we've lost at least four Battle Dragons."   
"Keep fighting!" Isolder shouted, as the _Song of War_ suffered another hail of blasts. The floor buckled under his feet. "We need to buy time for Leia so she can retake Coruscant."   
The _Song of War_ aimed its fire at the closest Star Destroyer. Blasts from ion cannons came first, shutting down the destroyer's sublight engines. Three more blasts struck the bridge, and the Black Sun ship fell victim to a flurry of laser blasts and proton torpedoes. Two Barabel warships joined in the fire, and the Star Destroyer exploded in a wash of fire. The Star Destroyers seemed to be inexorable, no matter how many were destroyed--it reminded Isolder of a chirru; cut off one of its head, and it would grow three more in its place--for they surrounded the slowly dwindling Republic ships in a triangle, turbolaser batteries pulsing without mercy.   
An escort frigate exploded right before Isolder's eyes, nearly blinding him and the rest of the crew. Another ship went veering out of control, its engines damaged, and collided into the _Burning Rose_, sealing its fate. They were slowly losing the battle...and Black Sun seemed stronger than ever.   
Thousands of small fighters danced across the viewscreen, a mixture of TIE fighters, interceptors, X-wings, B-wings, Y-wings, and A-wings. The Republic and Hapans had some of the best-trained fighter pilots in the galaxy, whereas the Black Sun fighters seemed to be less-disciplined and clumsy. _At least we're doing well in that area_, Isolder thought. It gave him very little comfort.   
The majority of the destroyers now focused their firepower on the _Song of War_, as if aware that the Prince of the Hapes Cluster was on board. The battleship shuddered as blow after blow struck its shields.   
"Shields down by seventy-three percent," Ensign Sheular reported. "If this keeps up, we'll be destroyed in a matter of minutes."   
Isolder could barely even nod, as he watched the fleet hammer mercilessly upon his ship. The Song of War's cannons fought as hard as they could, damaging several of the enemy ships, and the remaining Battle Dragons rushed to their flagship's rescue, but it was not enough. Unless a miracle happened...Black Sun would triumph.  
  
Wedge had seen the _Dantooine_ explode around the beginning of the battle. He had just gotten out of the hangar bay on his X-wing when a three-pronged attack from Black Sun rendered it crippled in space. Several more blasts blew it clean into oblivion, leaving the mighty Mon Calamari cruiser little more than wreckage that sailed aimlessly through space. Wedge had considered himself lucky that he had left the ship in time...and also a sense of sadness for all the people who had died. Too many good people had already died today in this battle.   
Now in his X-wing, Wedge led the bulk of the New Republic fighters against Black Sun. The TIEs clearly outnumbered even the combined might of the Republic, the Hapans, and the Verpines, but Black Sun seemed to have forgotten to properly train their pilots. More often than not, the TIEs ended up shooting down their own allies.   
Wedge armed two proton torpedoes, and launched them at a cluster of TIEs heading in his direction. Two of them exploded, and another was engulfed by the flames. The last one tried to flee, but was quickly shot down by two of the Verpine B-wings. The fighters seemed to be doing well, Wedge saw, but the rest of the battle was not. The Star Destroyers far outnumbered the Republic fleet in terms of size, number, and firepower. Even now, it was obvious that the fleet was losing to Black Sun. Wedge sent a transmission to every last pilot fighting.   
"Attention, all pilots! Ignore the fighters, we need to focus all firepower on the Star Destroyers!"   
The pilots complied, and almost immediately, a wave composed of hundreds upon hundreds of tiny fighters streamed away from the incoming TIEs, and toward the Star Destroyers. The bone-white ships were magnificent compared to the puny fighters, but Wedge knew their weaknesses. He knew exactly where and how to take them down, even with a simple fighter. He just hoped that would give Leia enough time to find and kill Xizor once and for all.   
As he opened fire on the closest Star Destroyer, the laser blasts pounding the turbolaser batteries on its sides, Wedge saw another wave of X-wings and Y-wings coming in his direction.   
"Great," he said. "We're going to need a lot of help if we're going too--"  
Before he could finish his sentence, the new arrivals opened fire upon Wedge's squadron. Five X-wings exploded simultaneously, unprepared for the surprise attack. Horrified, Wedge swerved his fighter, avoiding blasts from the Star Destroyer, as he headed over in the fighters' direction. A closer look confirmed his fears: these new ships had the markings of the Imperial Palace. Black Sun had hijacked their own ships.  
  
Callista snapped awake from her trance and found herself back lying on the rock, near the Anasazi river, in the middle of the humid jungle. The plateau was gone, vanished into oblivion.   
She laid there on her side for a long time, listening to the chirps and squeaks of small critters running through the trees, to the soft rippling of the brownish- green water as it traveled through the jungle, still barely able to believe everything that had transpired during her stupor. She had done something no other Jedi had ever done since the beginning of time...speak to the Force itself. True, the Force sometimes visited Jedi in their dreams, in many different forms--she remembered how Luke had told her of the Force, in the form of Obi-Wan, had visited him on Hoth and told him about Yoda--but never before has anyone seen its true form face to face. It was a magnificent feeling, something Callista had never felt before. Luke would have loved to have seen it. There were so many questions she still wanted to ask the Force that she wished she could have, but she knew that she had little time to spare.   
As she looked up at the slowly darkening sky, she could see Anasazi's largest moon start to cover the afternoon sky. The eclipse...just as the Kerash had predicted. She got up from the rock, feeling more refreshed and at ease with herself than she had felt in a long time, and headed into the jungle. She needed to find the Kerash rebels. If she was going to take on Armenia and her warriors to stop the Ritual of the Coming, she was going to need help.  
  
Emna sat alone in the Kerash caves, her face lit by the slowly dwindling flicker of torchlight. Within a few minutes, it would burn out and die, leaving the former Nightsister trapped in the cave's darkness. She didn't care. All she could think about at the moment was Callista's words before she took off.   
The woman was lying; she had to be! There was no way Armenia could bring Arak from Raximidaj. The Kerash leader herself had told them that it was impossible, and to do such a thing would only result in destruction and death. And yet...what if what Callista was saying was true?   
Emna reflected back on her life on Dathomir, back to simpler times. She could still remember her mother's final words before she was exiled from the Northern Lakes Clan, when it had been discovered that she had been practicing dark spells.   
_I am ashamed to call myself your mother!_ she had said, her fury barely contained, her hand moving up as if to slap her. _I raised you for sixteen years, taught you how to live the ways of the warrior. From the moment of your birth, you knew that the Book of Laws states to never concede to evil. And now look at you! Perhaps exiling you into the forest is best for all of us.   
_The words had struck true in Emna's mind, no matter how much she tried to deny it. She knew how evil the Nightsisters were, and yet she still gave in to the dark side. After their argument, Emna had lashed out and killed her mother. Horrified, she had left the clan as quickly as possible, never looking back. Those memories still haunted her to this day...even on Anasazi.   
Emna always felt that the Kerash were not as pure and righteous as they had claimed to be; from Cray's words on Dathomir, she had always known they were evil to an extent (Gabriela had once told her that, in truth, all beings in the universe were evil at heart). Armenia, in particular, seemed a tad insane, especially since the death of the great leader Cray--Had Armenia really lied about that as well?  
Maybe there was more to the Kerash than she had thought. Emna had once been a Nightsister. She knew how evil worked. The Nightsisters, whether they were under the command of Gethzerion, or Gabriela, or Anya, never tried to hide their true intent. They were evil, and they wanted everyone to know that. That was what made the Nightsisters so different from the Kerash. If the Kerash priests were truly evil, then they were doing a very good job of disguising it. Emna knew how manipulative evil could be, and if what Callista had told her was right--   
--then the Kerash were planning to bring back Arak. Emna had heard of the legend weeks after Cray had first brought her to Anasazi. Arak had been a very powerful god, and had tried to corrupt the rest of the pantheon, but her plans went awry, and she ended up destroying the other gods, and trapped herself in Raximidaj forever. Emna wasn't sure if she believed the story--although the Nightsisters had had their own sect of gods to worship--but she didn't want to take any chances. If Arak was real, then a lot of innocent people were doing to die.   
Cray herself had told Emna that the Kerash planned to destroy the Republic-- and even the entire universe. Years ago, the very idea would have pleased Emna. But now... Emna stood and watched as the torch breathed its last. Darkness approached, quickly shutting out the meager light. But Emna was not afraid; she knew how to find her way out of the cave.   
Her decision had been made.  
  
Leanna had barely recovered from her shock--which was quickly followed by the realization that there was no possible way they could have kept the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter restrained for long, even with the help of Jedi--as Boba Fett leaped from the cot and tried to snatch the vibroblade from her hand. Leanna cursed and backed away, determined to maintain as good a distance from her opponent as possible. Despite her quick speed, Fett still managed to gain a hold of her vibroblade, and tried to wrench it free from her hand. But Leanna was not about to let him get it, and she held onto the handle of the deadly weapon with all her might.   
For seconds, the two fought for control of the vibroblade, making very little noise save for a few grunts of frustration. The Jedi must have been oblivious to the battle, Leanna realized, for none of them rushed to help. She considered calling for assistance. _No! This is my fight, not anyone else's. If anyone's going to kill Boba Fett...it is going to be me...  
_ As they struggled, Leanna brought her free hand up and down upon the handle of the vibroblade. The force of the blow caused the blade to break free from the grips of the two combatants, and clatter to the floor. Fett's elbow flew into her gut, and Leanna grunted in pain and staggered back against the wall, breathless. Hot, burning bile rose in her throat, threatening to spill all over the floor.   
As she tried to regain her strength, she weakly saw Boba Fett bend over to retrieve the fallen vibroblade. The hunter's mask turned toward the weakened woman, and something inside Leanna told her he was smiling under it.   
"This is for giving me a bloody nose, bitch," he said in that cold, terrifying voice, as he slowly sauntered over to her, the vibroblade in one gauntleted hand. Despite the tremendous pain she felt in her gut--as well as the slight burning sensation in her thigh from the wound she had received in their fight on Garkonis--Leanna smiled.   
"Okay, Fett," she said, now taunting, "you want a piece of me? Then come and get it, you no-good, baby-stealing, bantha-smelling, piece of Wookiee dung!"   
It seemed to work, for Fett now charged toward her like a stampeding blurgg. Leanna waited until just the right moment, then leaped forth, gasping in pain as she did so. She bent forth and slammed her body into the bounty hunter, causing them both to plummet to the floor. The blade flew from Fett's grip and hit the wall, out of his reach. His helmet came loose as well, exposing his deformed face. Leanna was the first on her feet, and she waited for Fett to rise. As he got to one knee, disoriented from the surprise attack, she threw a high- kick that connected against his head, throwing him back onto the cot. "Nighty-night," she quipped, and watched as Fett got off the cot, a dark look of fury on his face. "You know, Fett, I'm not sure if anyone told you this, but--you are _ugly_."   
A snarl escaped his lips, and he came at Leanna, throwing an impressive kick for her face. Leanna ducked--wondering how he could have aimed a kick that high with all that armor on--and swept one leg out in a lashing kick. She caught the bounty hunter by the back of the ankles, using enough force to knock his feet off the floor, and down upon his back. More enraged than hurt, Fett hauled back up, rubbing the back of his head.   
He spoke, his voice now raspy and dry, not at all like the voice of his mask, "You stupid little Twi'lek tramp! You're gonna pay for that!"   
Leanna was not perturbed. "I mean, you're more than ugly! You're so ugly you make a Gorax look gorgeous. Is it true that when you were born, your doctor turned and slapped your mother?" As she spoke, she ran at the bounty hunter, who seemed plenty mad at her now at the mere mention of a family member--even a nonexistant one, if the stories about Fett were to be believed.   
As he rose to both feet, Leanna performed a perfect cartwheel. Halfway through, she turned the cartwheel in Fett's direction, and into a kick that struck him clean across the face, dropping him the floor like a fallen stone. The hunter twisted in mid-air before he crashed, blood flowing from his nose. Leanna landed gracefully on her feet, and turned to bring him down permanently.   
But she was unprepared for the tackle Fett threw at her. In just under a second, he was back on his feet--Leanna had to admire his stamina--and threw himself against her, knocking them both against the wall. Leanna took most of the impact, and a tremble of pain went down her spine. With Fett grasping her shoulders, he threw her down, and landed on top of her belly, having gained the upper hand. Leanna tried to squirm away underneath him, but he had a firm grip on her arms, preventing her from moving.   
"Now, doesn't this seem familiar?" Fett remarked, his breath stale and nasty on Leanna's face. "Looks like you're going to be joining the rest of your family in death. I think it's fitting I should be the one to kill you."   
Leanna stared into his eyes--those cold, beautiful eyes that bore not semblance of humanity or compassion. "Fine," she said, ceasing her struggles. "Go ahead and do it. Just get it over with and end my life. I no longer have a purpose since you butchered my family."   
Fett smiled, reaching over to grab the vibroblade. "As you wish, Leanna Kai," he said, bringing the blade up, prepared to take her life, as he had taken the lives of her family--  
--and screamed as a green blade of light tore through his back, melting through the armor, cutting into flesh and bone, and coming out through his breastplate. Fett looked down at the mortal wound, as if unable to believe what had happened, and rolled off of Leanna, his body instantly going limp. Leanna remained on the floor, finally letting out the breath she had been holding for who knows how long. Her head turned and saw Fett's face, eyes open wide, lifeless. She turned back to see who had attacked him, who had saved her from the hands of death and saw Skywalker standing inside the room, in front of the open doorway. There was no surprise at all on his face, confirming Leanna's earlier suspicions. He had known what she had planned to do all along.   
And he had just saved her life.   
Leanna rose weakly to her feet, starting to feel the aftereffects of the fight. Her stomach and back were sore, and she was almost out of breath. She looked at Skywalker, and then at Fett. She didn't know what to say. But there was nothing needed to be said. "We've landed on Coruscant," Skywalker suddenly said, and left the room, leaving Leanna alone with her nightmare. After Luke had left, Leanna leaned against the wall. Closing her icy blue eyes she thought, Why? Why couldn't he have just let Fett kill me? I have nothing to live for ... nothing at all. Slowly she sank to the floor. "I'm just so tired of living. So sick and tired of all of this pain." It seemed an eternity passed as she sat there on the cold floor. A broken woman, who was tired of living.  
_Promise me one thing, Lea, my precious daughter. No matter what happens to your mother, me or what life throws at you, never give.   
I promise, Daddy._   
Raising her head, Leanna scanned the room. _Am I hearing things?   
Your e so full of life, my dearest. Never give up on life, there's to much to live for_.  
_ I won't mommy_  
Shaking her head, Leanna mentally cried, _Leave me alone!! I don't want to remember!!   
Hey, sis! Remember to take a take a break!   
But it's hard. And if I take a break, I might not get anything done.  
Sure it's hard, but I'll tell you what. So is life. You can't just dive head first into everything and work yourself to death because you want to accomplish something in record time. Life is full of opportunities, you just have to know when to go for them and when to step back. So take it a little easier, ok?  
Only if you do the same.   
Deal._  
Tears dripping down her face, she covered her ears with her hands as she whispered, "Leave me alone. Just leave me alone."  
_We'll be together forever, right Lea?  
Yeah, we will, Llia. Together forever in our hearts.  
_ Wide eyed, Leanna lower her hands to her knees as an epiphany came to her. I've been refusing to remember because of the pain that comes with it. But by doing so, I've been encasing my heart in a block of ice and forgetting everything I had promised them. Closing her eyes she mentally unlocked the door to her memories and allowed them to come flooding back.  
A child of four years old, skipped along her father's side asking, "What are we doing today, Daddy?   
The man beside her was tall, he had short black hair and emerald eyes. Smiling down at his daughter he replied, "I going to show you how to meditate, today, Lea." Scrunching up her nose she replied, "But I thought that only Jedi meditate, Daddy. Why do I need to learn how to meditate, I'm not Jedi."   
Chuckling, he picked his daughter up to place her on his hip as he answered, "Jedi are not the only people who meditate, young one. Meditating can be very good when you want to clear your mind, to relax, or to seek an answer that can only be found within you."   
Looking into her father's eyes, Leanna asked, "Is that why the Jedi meditate, Daddy?"   
Lightly shrugging his shoulders and causing her to squeal with delight, he said, "Maybe." Winking once he continued, "Come on! After meditating, I'll teach you a couple more moves."   
With her eyes sparkling, Leanna said, "Mom said she was going to cream you if you did."   
Putting a finger to his lips for a second he whispered, "Shh, it can be a secret between you and I."   
Laughing she replied, "Whatever you say Daddy. Whatever you say."  
  
A girl of seven years sat in a lotus position on the living room floor. Her eyes were closed and her silverish white hair was pulled back in a braid that rested over her right shoulder while her hands were folded in her lap. Hearing faint noises behind her she firmly commanded, "Benjamin Harp Kai, don't even think about it."   
Pouting, a boy a few years older walked over and sat down asking, " How did you know I was there, Lea?"   
Smirking, Leanna replied, "You make to much noise."   
Snapping his fingers, Benjamin said, "Darn. So, meditating again, huh? You do that too often."   
Open her eyes she glanced up at him and commented, "Yeah, I was meditating. You should try it sometime, you'd be surprised at what it can do for you." Looking out the window she continued, "So did our cousin leave?"   
Nodding, he answered, "Yeah, she did. She was pretty ticked at you for beating her in practice today. Think we'll see her again?"   
"Most likely." Taking a deep breath, she stood up and said, "She's so full of anger. So full of hate. Can't she see that all anger and hate only clouds the mind?"   
Shrugging, Benjamin followed her example and stood up for a few seconds before tackling her to the ground. The two wrestled for a couple minutes, he finally managed to pin her to the ground and declared, "Ha! I win!"   
Glaring at him she replied, "Only because you cheated."   
Laughing he said, "As if. I can beat you any day of the week, munchkin."   
"You want to prove that, little boy?"   
"You're on!"  
  
Wiping the tears away, Leanna slowly stood up and opened her eyes. Their icy blue color seemed to melt as she walked over to the dead body of Boba Fett and bent down to close his unseeing eyes with her hand, saying, "I may not be able to ever forgive you for what you have done to my family and to others, but I'll will hate you no longer. I cannot afford the price that comes with that emotion. I won't allow my mind to clouded any longer."   
Standing up, she walked to the door, and paused."I still have much to live for. It took me a long time to realize that, but I have. I have to know the truth. Perhaps it is time to share my past with someone who is willing to listen, but right now, I'm going to help Skywalker get his daughter back safely. Good bye, Boba Fett." And with that she walked out of the room, putting the nightmare to rest.  
  
Meanwhile on a different planet, a tall man weakly opened his eyes thinking, _Where am I? What happened? Looking around the room through blurry eyes he thought, Lea? Where's Lea? Where's Llia? Where are my sisters?_  
  
Leia watched as Xizor stood before her, only a few mere feet away from her, the grin on his handsome face so smug that it disgusted her. Her brown eyes blazed a thinly-veiled contempt for the man and his cronies. Guri slightly traced the tip of the torture hook across Han's left cheek, almost enough to cut into the skin. Although her husband kept a brave face, Leia could sense his terror, hidden far beneath his rough exterior.   
"Would you like to see how well this little hook cuts, Solo?" Guri teased, digging the tip of the hook a little into Han's cheek. The first few faint droplets of squeezed out, sliding along his sweaty skin and dripping quietly to the floor.   
"Leave him alone!" Leia shouted, trying to get the HRD's attention. "If you want to torture someone, then do it to me."   
But Xizor shook his head. "My dear Leia," he said, shaking his head. "I can't let Guri scar that beautiful face of yours. You know that I can't marry an ugly woman."   
Leia almost choked on her own saliva. "I'd rather be one of Jabba's slave dancers than marry you!" she snapped angrily. Xizor seemed taken aback, as if surprised that a delicate-looking woman such as her would make such a rude comment toward him like that. _He doesn't know me very well then, does he?_ she thought with a smile.   
The surprise quickly disappeared, replaced with the mask Xizor always used to conceal his true emotions. "It doesn't matter if you want to marry me, Leia," he said coldly, standing over her, his shadow completely dwarfing her. "All that matters is that I can force you to marry me." He stroked through her hair, like she was his pet. "You know I can, my dear."   
Leia remained unafraid, and rose to the challenge. "You won't win this, Xizor. You know that."   
Xizor chuckled. "Really? And who's going to stop me?"   
The door to the control room slid open with a loud whoosh. Leia, Xizor, and everyone else turned to see who it was--though Leia knew who would be standing there; she'd felt him the moment he'd arrived--and saw Luke Skywalker enter the chamber with his lightsaber, followed by several more of his students, and Leanna Kai.   
"I am," Luke said. "It's over, Xizor. Surrender while you still can."   
Xizor turned to Leia, the fury on his face palpable. Smoke seemed to seethe from his nose and ears. "You--"   
"Good guess," Leia said, and reared back, throwing her foot up into the air. She caught Xizor firmly in the jaw, knocking him down the floor in a heap of purple robes. It didn't feel as good as hitting him in the groin, but it was a start. Luke and his companions charged in, their lightsabers cutting down the Black Sun soldiers that stood in their way. A flurry of blaster bolts sailed in their direction, which was deflected back by a Force shield Luke had thrown around himself and his friends, bouncing back to their owners, catching them completely off-guard. As the fighting continued, with Kirana Ti leading the group, Luke went over to Han and Leia.   
"Hey, guys," he said as he used his saber to slice through Leia's chains. Leia smiled and hugged her brother.   
"You came just in time, Luke," she said.   
Luke returned the hug, and broke off to free Han.   
"Thanks, kid," Han remarked, rubbing his sore wrists. "We keep switching back and forth, don't we, in the saving each other's lives department."   
Luke grinned. "Next time, I'll let you save me." His face took on a more serious tone as he explained the situation to them. "The battle's not going to well in orbit. Black Sun has pretty much brought our fleet to their knees. If we don't succeed--"   
"We will succeed," Leia said sternly, and she believed it, too. "Now, can someone give me a weapon?"  
  
Cray had felt an enormous relief when Luke Skywalker had charged into the control room with his companions. With the Jedi Master and his best students on their side, there was no way Xizor was going to win. She watched as Luke freed Han and Leia from their chains, and waited patiently for the Jedi Master to free her as well.   
But instead of going over to her, Luke returned to the battle, cutting down Black Sun minions left and right. Leia and Han retrieved weapons from fallen soldiers and joined in the fighting.   
"Um, somebody?" Cray said, trying to make her voice rise over the fighting. "Could someone help me...please?"   
No one answered. The control room was now alive with the hum of lightsabers and the firing of blasters. Luke and his friends pushed forth, their lightsabers deflecting bolt after bolt. Xizor had gotten up from the floor and took shelter from one of the consoles, a small hold-out blaster in his hand. Cray gnashed her teeth in disgust. Xizor was not only arrogant, he was also a coward. She silently swore that when she broke free, Xizor would be her first victim on her list.   
That is, if she got free.   
As she struggled to pull her chains from the wall, she saw Guri lumbering toward her, the torture hook gripped in one hand. "Oh, no you don't," she said.   
Guri's fist flew into her gut--it felt like a hammer had been smashed against her stomach--and a gasp escaped Cray's mouth. For the first time since Callista had severed her hand, she actually felt pain. Something felt loose inside, and she had no doubts that Guri had broken something. Guri snatched Cray by one arm, holding her immobile, and placed the tip of the hook against her jugular. Cray brought her head back and head-butted the other HRD. Guri's head snapped back, and blood spurted out of her nose. Unlike Cray, Guri was of the older HRD models, programmed to bleed. As Guri staggered back, the hook sailing out of her hand, Cray leaped--_Thank the Maker my legs are still free_--and sent both feet smashing into her face, further crushing her nose. Cray performed a flip while in mid-air and scissored her feet so that her legs were clutching Guri by both sides of her head. The HRD cried out in surprise and tried to pry Cray's legs loose.   
But her legs were as hard as steel, and not easy to break free from. Cray allowed herself to smile--she was really starting to enjoy this--and used her legs to flip Guri to the floor. The HRD landed and rolled against a console, stunned for the moment. With her opponent down, Cray struggled to break the chains holding her prisoner. Summoning every last inch of strength she had left, she began to pull. She could feel the chains start to break from the wall, but it still wasn't enough.   
By that time, Guri had gotten up again, and reached to snatch a vibro-ax from one of the dead guards. With it gripped in both hands, a look of pure rage on her blood-stained face, Guri strode forward and rammed the handle of the weapon into Cray's stomach. Something shattered inside Cray's gut and she bent over in pain, an electrical shock coursing through her body. For a precious few seconds, she couldn't move. She hung limply from her chains, trying to collect herself. She felt something sharp strike her in the head, further worsening the pain. She realized that it had been Guri hitting her with the end of the ax. Her vision started to darken as several of her circuits fried. Guri was giving her quite a beating--and she seemed to be ready for another blow. Cray aimed a weak kick for her knee, hoping to bring her down--but Guri sidestepped, grabbed her leg in mid-swing with one hand, dropping her weapon, and snatched her by the throat with her other hand. She looked Cray full in the eyes, her grip starting to tighten.   
Suddenly, an invisible fist smashed into Guri from the left, knocking her aside. The HRD crashed upon the platform overlooking the control room, shocked from the blow. Cray weakly looked over to see Luke rushing to her aid.   
"Are you all right?" Luke asked as he cut through her bonds with his lightsaber. Cray nodded, and felt an immense wave of relief when she was able to move her arms freely again. "I'll live," she said, then gave the Jedi Master a bitter look. "It took you long enough, though."   
Luke seemed a little embarrassed. "Yeah. Sorry, I kinda forgot about you." His eyes went over to Guri, who was starting to get up again. "Do you need help with her?"   
Cray shook her head, glaring daggers at the HRD. "No. This one's mine."   
Without waiting for Luke to respond, Cray ran over to the platform. She leaped, higher than a normal human, twisted in mid-air, and landed right in front of Guri, her hands held out into fists. Guri was slightly surprised by her quick arrival, but immediately reverted back to sheer coldness, ready to take her opponent down.   
"You know," Cray said, "when you used that stun baton against me, I was mad. But now, after this little incident, I'm pissed." She took a few cautious steps toward Guri, wary of her every move. "Any last words before I snap you in half?"   
Guri nodded. "Yes. Pray. You're going to have to once I'm through with you."   
Cray grinned. "Bring it on." And she did. The two HRDs stood atop the platform, high above the raging battle in the control room, two opposing goddesses facing each other down on the highest mountain, while their little minions fought on the ground below. Neither moved, their eyes locked upon each other, their hands balled into fists capable of punching through even the strongest armor.   
Cray knew what Guri was capable of. She was extremely quick, and powerful...more or less a one-woman army. And she already had Cray at a disadvantage, for she still had not fully recovered from their recent fight. Not to mention that Guri still had both her hands, unlike Cray. If she was going to take Guri down, she had to do it now and fast. Guri opened her mouth, as if to say something, most likely something villains always say in battle. She seemed so confident and sure of herself, that she thought Cray would actually let her finish.   
Right.  
Cray moved in the moment Guri opened her mouth, and delivered a whopper of a punch into her jaw. The blow was perfect, and she heard a loud _crunch_ that rose above even the battle raging below them. Guri staggered back, even as Cray threw a second punch. She struck her squarely in the nose, which was still bleeding, and created another fresh red fountain that spurted from her nostrils and onto the clean floor. Judging by the look on Guri's face, she was in pain, but she was also furious. She threw a punch, which Cray dodged. As she ducked her head to avoid the incoming attack, Cray threw the toe of her booted foot into Guri's chest, striking her in the ribs. One of them cracked, and Guri cried out in pain. One hand going up to her chest, Guri charged toward Cray, intending to slam into her, take her off the platform. Cray calculated where Guri intended to hit her, and braced herself. As soon as Guri's arms fell upon her, she snatched them by the elbows, refusing to let go.   
For seconds, the HRDs spun around together on the platform, until they were just on the edge of falling off. With a last burst of strength, Cray pushed, sending Guri flying off the platform. For a moment, it appeared as if she could fly, and then crashed upon a console, demolishing it under her weight. Sparks exploded around her, melting into her flesh, and she began screaming. Cray leaped off the platform toward Guri, intending to slam into her with such force that she would put a hole through the floor and knock Guri out of the battle permanently. She brought one elbow back, readying herself to deliver the blow. What she didn't see until it was too late was Guri's foot as she snapped it up, right where Cray would land. The HRD cried out as Guri's foot struck her hard in the chest. She fell back, and hit the floor, disoriented. She felt more electrical sparks surge through her body, and she saw that Guri's foot had left an imprint on her chest, causing it to cave in. Damaged wires dangled from the open wound, spilling onto the floor.   
And Guri was coming back for a rematch.   
Cray forced herself to get up, and made a feeble attempt to charge Guri. But the other woman was well-prepared for the attack, and she slammed her fist into Cray's jaw, knocking her aside into the wall.   
"This is almost too easy," Guri remarked, as she strode toward the weakened droid. "Perhaps if you had had your other hand still, little girl, you might've actually been able to match me."   
As she prepared to grab Cray, Han appeared behind Guri, grabbing her with both arms in an attempt to hold her still. It almost looked as if he was hugging her.   
"Come on, Cray!" he urged her. "Pummel her!"   
"Gladly," Cray said as she rose from her knees, and punched Guri with the stump of her hand. "Hurts, doesn't it?" she said, smiling at the fact that she could still use the stump of her hand even in battle. She punched Guri a second time, and Guri responded with a kick to the head, knocking Cray back against the wall. She grabbed Han by the arms and swung him against the wall, right next to Cray. Han was the first one to get up, much to his detriment. Guri grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and followed with a powerful head-butt that split open his nose and lips, then threw him across another console. Han's head bounced off the top of the computer console, and he slid to the floor, unconscious.   
"Humans are such weaklings," Guri said, as she turned to face Cray, who was slowly clambering to her feet. "Wouldn't you agree?"   
"Boy, you're a real piece of work," Cray said with no small amount of disgust. "Picking on people weaker than you. Yeah, you and Xizor deserve each other."   
"You mean, like how much you and Nichos Marr deserved each other?" Guri said, going straight for the heart. "And look what happened to him. Tell me, Mingla, was his death slow and painful?"   
Something in Cray finally snapped. Althought she wasn't the real Cray, she still felt a love for the man who had been Cray's lover, and to hear Guri speak of him in such a way unleashed the fury within her. Before Guri could even blink, Cray was upon her in an instant, snapping her head to the left with a powerful uppercut.   
"Don't you _ever_ speak of Nichos again!" she shrieked, punching her opponent again, this time in the temple, hard enough that she left a bruise. Guri reeled from the blows, and Cray climaxed her attack with a kick that would strike her head off.   
But Guri grabbed her by the foot before it could meet its target, and sneered. "Let's see if you can fly," she said, as she shoved her foot upward, throwing Cray back.   
In mid-air, Cray cleared her mind, not allowing panic to overtake her, and turned her fall into a backflip, while at the same time shoving both feet full into Guri's face. It wasn't strong enough to decapitate her, unfortunately, but it was able to knock her back against the wall of the platform, stunning her. Cray landed on her feet, now a good distance away from her opponent. Guri shook her head to clear away the disorientation--   
--when her eyes fell upon the torture hook. And then on Leia, who was directing the battle not far away from where the HRD stood, oblivious to Guri. Cray saw it as well, and knew immediately what Guri was planning to do. Moving at the speed of quicksilver, Guri snatched the hook, spun, and threw it with all the gracefulness of a dancer. The hook sailed through the air, right toward Leia's back--   
"Leia, look out!" Cray shouted, and ran toward the Chief of State, who didn't even see the hook coming until Cray's cry. She ran with blurring speed, and leaped right in front of Leia, just as Leia turned around to see what was going on.  
The hook stabbed Cray squarely in the chest, ripping through skin and wires. A small burst exploded from the wound, and Cray fell to the floor, unable to move her arms. Her body jerked uncontrollably, like a caught fish, the hook sticking out of her chest.   
"Cray!" Leia exclaimed, as she knelt down to check her wounds. "Are you--"   
"I...I can't move," Cray said, on the verge of tears, the pain was so great.   
Guri laughed with amusement as she sauntered toward the two women. "This battle is so entertaining," she remarked dryly, eyes focused on Leia. "If this is the best your friends can do, Madame President, then pardon me for saying that I am not at all impressed."   
Leia slowly rose back up, her eyes glaring at the HRD. "Fine, Guri," she said coolly. "You want impressive? Then how about this?" She stretched one arm out, palm pointed at Guri.   
Guri was hurled back through the air, propelled by the Force, and crashed through the enormous control room viewscreen. On impact, the screen shattered into several million tiny pieces, burying the unfortunate HRD in a mountain of glass. The jagged edges, like a million sharp knives, sliced through Guri's flesh, cutting deep into bone and blood until they reached her CPU, and completely vaporizing it, rendering the droid incapable to causing further damage. Guri didn't even have the opportunity to scream. Cray heaved a tremendous sigh of relief, unable to help anymore in the battle, before she shut herself down, falling into a sleep cycle. The last thing she saw was Leia gingerly checking over her wounds and her words, "This doesn't look too good..." before her vision became swallowed by the night.  
  
Leia watched as Cray fell into a sleep cycle, her body instantly going limp, looking almost dead. Her wounds were bad, but still reparable. But she knew that Cray would not last five seconds in the midst of this battle while shut down.   
"Luke!" she shouted, catching her brother's attention. "I need some help!" Luke nodded as he sliced off a Weequay's arm, and ran over to his sister's side.   
"What is it, Leia?" he asked, and then saw the downed droid. "I need you to get her out of here," Leia said, cradling Cray in both arms. "She's in pretty bad shape."   
"But what about--?" Luke clearly did not like the idea of having her and the others to face Xizor's minions without him. "Don't worry about us," Leia said softly. "Hurry back as soon as you can. But...I just want Cray to be safe."   
She looked into his eyes, and saw that he understood. "She may not be the real Cray, but..."   
Luke nodded. He, too, had known Cray, and how painful it would have been to just leave the HRD to die. "...Callista was right about her." he finished, as he scooped Cray up. "Good luck, Leia."   
Leia nodded and watched as he left the control room. A pair of guards blocked his escape, which he easily pushed aside with the Force. Once he was gone, Leia stood up, prepared to fight the remaining soldiers to the death. A low groan to her left caught her attention, and she turned to see Han lying on the floor, on the verge of unconsciousness. Blood ran down from several injuries on his face.   
"Han!" she shouted, as she ran over to her husband. Three Black Sun soldiers had Han surrounded, preparing to kill him. With her blaster, she squeezed a single shot, hitting the first in the leg, blowing his knee completely off. Two more shots found a home in the forehead of the second guard, and she pushed the third into the wall with a well-directed Force blow.   
"Han," she whispered, choking on her own words, as she knelt beside her husband. She cupped his head with both hands, careful not to touch his injuries. He was bleeding from his nose, mouth, and a wound on the back of his head.   
"L-Leia?" he said weakly, his eyes half-open, half-closed.   
"Shhh," Leia said softly, kissing him on the forehead, trying so hard not to cry. "It's okay, Han. Don't talk. You're going to be all right."   
"That's where you're wrong, my dear."   
The voice sent a tremble of anger down Leia's spine, and she turned to see Xizor standing behind her, in all his arrogant glory, no longer amused, or angry, but cold, emotionless. In some ways, his coldness frightened her more than even his fury. She gently laid Han's head down on the floor, and stood up, facing the Falleen, with no weapons other than her blaster, her wits, and the Force, knowing what she was going to have to do in order to ensure victory for the Republic. She had to do the one thing she couldn't do to Armenia in order to save her son.   
She had to kill Xizor.   
"Awwww, did your husband get hurt?" Xizor taunted, his eyes darting toward Han's prone form. He chuckled as he put on a mock-sad face. "You're not gonna cry, are you, Leia?"   
He was trying to anger her, Leia knew. Rather than take the bait, she offered him a challenging smile. "Is it just me, Xizor, or are your so- called 'funny' jokes not really funny at all?"   
Xizor's grin widened. "Perhaps it's you, my dear." From the corner of her eye, Leia surveyed the battle. The Jedi and Leanna had gained the upper hand, and were quickly mopping up the last remaining Black Sun soldiers. It would all be over within minutes. She turned back to Xizor.   
"Surrender, Xizor. There's no way you can beat us now."   
Xizor merely offered a sigh. "You just don't get it, do you, Leia? As long as I have control of Coruscant, you can't win." His eyes seemed to be looking over her shoulder now. "I'd watch out for that man if I were you."   
Reacting instinctively, Leia spun around, and saw no one there. Too late, she realized that Xizor had tricked her. The Falleen moved with incredible speed. One clawed hand shot up to snatch her blaster pistol, while the other, balled into a fist, hit her across the face. Leia felt the world start to spin around her. Xizor knocked the blaster from her hand, leaving her weaponless, and threw a powerful spin-kick. Leia's Force senses screamed in warning, and she ducked, feeling the dark black leather of Xizor's trousers lightly brush past her head. As the kick struck only air, Leia rose and surprised Xizor with a backhand that knocked him against a console. A second blow shattered his green lips, drawing blood. One hand instinctively went up to his mouth, and Xizor glared at Leia with so much rage that he could melt a wall just by looking at it.   
Without wasting a second, Leia grabbed him by the shoulders, and rammed her knee into his gut, drawing the air from his lungs. She followed with a third punch that hit him in the chin. As she prepared for another attack, Xizor recovered and grabbed her by the shoulders, as she had done to him. Leia didn't have time to block his attack. She felt his knee slam hard into her stomach. A small gasp of pain escaped her mouth, and Xizor shoved her aside, knocking her into the console Guri had fallen into earlier.   
Covered with burnt circuits and pieces of wire and metal, Leia began to get up, but was intercepted by Xizor. He sat atop her belly, snatching her by the hair. "Tough little girl, aren't you?" he said. "I didn't think you had it in you, Leia."   
With that, he snatched a handful of her hair and yanked. Leia screamed, feeling some of the strands pull free from their roots. She looked into Xizor's eyes, and saw him smile, showing off his sharp reptilian fangs, and for a brief moment, she lost it.   
Grabbing him by the hand holding her hair, Leia bit into it. Hard. She dug deep into his skin, feeling greenish-black ichor spill into her mouth. She almost choked on it, but continued biting, until she reached the bone. She heard Xizor's agonized screams, and she relished in it.   
_Anger...the dark side... _Luke's voice repeated calmly in her head, snapping her out of her enraged daze. She released her death grip on Xizor, and the Falleen pulled back, clenching his wounded hand. Leia started to get up, and saw his fist barrelling towards her face. It was ten times harder than any of his other blows, and she felt something break. Her hand went up to her nose, and when she pulled away, she saw blood staining her fingers. She quickly got up to her feet, determined to continue the fight, but fell victim to another hard punch, throwing her back down on the shattered console. She didn't even have time to get up before her grabbed her by the throat, lifted her up with almost no effort at all, and threw her against the wall. Her head bounced off the hard durasteel, almost knocking her out. She slid to her knees, a massive headache of pain exploding behind her eyes. By the time she had regained her awareness, Xizor was standing over her, the victor of the fight.   
"That hurt," he snapped, indicating the wound on his hand. Leia spat blood out, a mixture of her blood and Xizor's, and glared at the Dark Prince.   
"It was supposed to hurt," she said angrily. "It's called pain, Xizor. Get used to it." Xizor clicked and shook his head. "That's going to cost you dearly, Madame President."   
He didn't even notice the blaster hovering in the air, behind him, the barrel aimed for the center of his back. "It's a pity, really. You would have made a fine wife."   
Leia smiled. "Sorry, Xizor...but I'm already married." With her hold on the blaster tightened, Leia stretched out with her mind, and pulled the trigger. A single bolt lanced from the blaster, burning squarely through the small of Xizor's back. The Dark Prince screamed in unexpected pain as his spine was burned in two, his heart pierced by the bolt, and coming out through his chest. With a weakened groan of pain, he fell to his knees. Leia stood up, gasping as a small twinge ran through her face from her broken nose. She picked up a vibro-ax lying near a downed Black Sun soldier, and sauntered over to Xizor, who was straining to breathe, slowly rising on his hands and knees. He looked up at Leia, and for the first time since she had known him, she saw fear.   
He was afraid of her. Leia raised the vibro-ax high over her head, preparing to deliver the killing blow--   
--and hesitated.   
The fear on Xizor's face morphed into amusement and confidence. "You can't do it, can you, Leia?" he said, followed by a succession of dying coughs. "You can't kill me. You don't have the stomach to kill in cold blood."   
Leia looked down upon Xizor. Flashbacks of her fight with Armenia returned, of how she had come close to killing her, and how she had spared her in the end--only to be defeated, and her son taken away. For some reason, she couldn't bring it upon herself to kill Xizor. _He's already dying, _a voice whispered in her head. _Just give him a few more minutes, and he'll be dead. Don't do this to yourself, Leia...  
_Xizor grinned, that same grin that made Leia's blood boil, that same arrogant, confident, self-righteous grin of his-- --and brought the ax down upon his head. First, there was the sound of the ax hitting the top of his head, followed by a crunch as it cut through his skull, and then a wet plop as it entered his brain. Xizor uttered no sound as he fell. Dead. Leia stared down at the corpse of the clone. Dead. Xizor was finally dead.   
After all the misery and pain he had caused, he was finally defeated. All because of Leia. She turned and saw everyone staring at her, silent, the battle long over. It was then that she realized they had been watching her since she had shot Xizor down. She looked back at the dead Falleen, finally feeling a calm sense of peace. She had killed him. Without giving in to her anger and hate. Just like a Jedi Knight should do.   
The door slid open, and Luke returned, this time without Cray. He whistled as he surveyed the war-torn control room. Then he ran over to Leia.   
"Are you okay?" he asked as he gathered her in an embrace.   
"I'm okay," she said, returning the hug with as much strength as she could muster. "He's finally gone."   
"For now, at least," Han groaned, standing back up. "Remember what he said about the cloning chamber in the mountains. I bet he's still got a whole bunch more left."   
Leia went over to her husband and kissed him, careful not to hurt him, feeling a flood of relief wash over her. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said, happily, then turned to face the others. "And he's right. I don't know how many clones Xizor has left, but my guess is the one I just killed wasn't the last one."   
"So, we find the cloning facility," Leanna said, "and destroy the rest."   
"Shouldn't be too hard," Luke said. "Most of Xizor's personnel was here, in the palace. The cloning facility shouldn't have much resistance."   
Leia nodded, and picked up her blaster. "So, what are we standing around here for?" she asked. "Let's show Black Sun once and for all that they picked the wrong people to wage a war against."   
With that, she led the group of the control room, save for Han and Luke, who stood alone together, looking down at the clone's corpse. "Whoa," Luke said, before turning to Han. "Leia did that?"   
Han nodded, and Luke could sense that he was proud of her. "Yep, that was her. Man, kid, you should have seen it. She was practically kicking Xizor's green ass all across the room. And then she gave him a splitting headache with that ax. It was like, whack! I almost felt sorry for Xizor when she did that."   
"When will bad guys ever learn?" Luke said as they followed after the group. "Never mess with my sister..."  
  
Isolder watched, his face a cold expression of stone, as the Star Destroyers surrounded the remnants of the Republic and Hapan fleet, pounding the weakened ships with their turbolasers.   
The _Song of War_ shuddered repeatedly as blow after blow burned past their deflector shields, striking against the hull.   
"Our shields have been reduced to fifty-two percent," Astarta reported coldly. She shared a glance with Isolder, and he could see a small amount of fear in her eyes. "We're not going to survive much longer, my Lord."   
Isolder nodded, his eyes returning to the onslaught displayed on the Battle Dragon's viewscreen. "Keep firing with whatever weapons we have left," he said gravely. "If we're going to die, then let's take down as many destroyers as we can."   
The _Song of War_'s cannons sprang to life, firing away at the triangle of Star Destroyers. Several were damaged from the salvo, but the rest kept pummeling the Battle Dragon. A small explosion ripped through the back of the bridge, knocking Isolder and Astarta off their feet. Several crew members were incinerated in the inferno, while others were knocked down, badly burned from the flames. Isolder groaned as he stood to his feet. He had never been this close to death since his encounter with the original Nightsisters on Dathomir.   
The Republic and Hapan warships fought as hard and valiantly as they could, but they were clearly no match for the Black Sun fleet. They were done for.   
Just when all hope seemed lost, another fleet of ships emerged from hyperspace. Isolder tensed, horrified for a brief moment that it was Xizor's reinforcements. A second glance told him otherwise.   
Over dozens of Mon Calamari cruisers had now entered the battle; the fleet of the ocean world must have been notified of the crisis on Coruscant, and had sent their fleet to help the Republic. Even as they left hyperspace, the Calamarian ships opened fire on the unsuspecting Star Destroyers. Isolder and several other crew members cheered as three Star Destroyers burst into flames. The Calamarian ships quickly surrounded the Black Sun ships in a deadly net, trapping them between them and the remaining Battle Dragons.   
The voice of Admiral Ackbar filled the speakers. "Sorry for the delay, Prince Isolder. My fleet came as quickly as they could."   
Words could not describe the relief Isolder felt at the sound of the admiral's voice. "You're forgiven, Admiral," he said. "Now, I think it's time to teach Black Sun a lesson they'll never forget." Even as he spoke, more ships began to arrive. Hundreds of cruisers, from over a dozen different worlds that had sworn allegiance to the New Republic. Corellia, Selonia, Munto Codru, Kashyyyk, the Smuggler's Alliance, Sullust, and many more had sent their fleets to aid the Republic and the Hapans in their war against Black Sun.   
At last, the tide had been turned.   
The miracle Isolder had been hoping for had finally arrived.


	17. The Trinity

Chapter 17  
  
The Menarai Mountains was one of the few areas on the entire planet that was not encompassed by the metropolis of Imperial City. As the shuttle carrying the group landed at the foot of one of the numerous entrances leading into the tallest mountain, Leia could see that Xizor's base, which began in the yawning entrance of the cavern, seemed virtually deserted.   
Despite the severity of their situation--the space battle was still raging in orbit above them, and not all of Xizor's clones had been destroyed yet-- Leia managed to smile. Xizor obviously must have been so confident that no one would be able to find his base, that he did not even bother leaving anyone behind to stand guard.   
_Good for us, bad for him,_ she thought, as the shuttle's ramp extended. The group disembarked, with Leia, Han, and Luke leading the way. "So, did you find Boba Fett?" Leia asked Luke as she fingered her lightsaber, which she had found stashed away in the weapons compartment in the palace after having killed the Xizor clone.   
Luke nodded. "Yeah, we did."   
"Did you get any information about where the children are?" Leia asked hopefully. Luke shook his head sadly. "Nothing. He was just as unknowing about it as we are." The next thing he said took them both by surprise. "He's dead, now."   
Leia and Han were unable to hide the surprise and shock that appeared abruptly on their faces. "He's...dead?" Leia finally said, unable to believe the news. Somehow, the idea of the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter dying didn't make sense to her. She wasn't even sure if Fett could be killed.   
"He tried to attack Leanna on the _Slave IV_," Luke explained. "He was about to kill her when I interfered. It was as simple as that."   
"Seems kinda...anticlimactic," Han oberved, making a strange face. "Oh, well. He had it coming to him. Especially considering that he was the one who took Hope away in the first place..."   
"And that he blew up your ship while we were on Garkonis," Luke added, his voice barely heard, as if afraid to speak out loud. Leia's eyed widened, but her shock was nothing compared to Han's horrified expression.   
"He _what_?" he demanded.   
Luke suddenly seemed afraid to be around them. "Yeah, I hate to tell you, Han, but...when we were looking for that Imperial outpost, Fett...managed to take us by surprise and implanted some explosives on board the _Falcon_."   
The horror on Han's face then changed to anger. "He blew up my ship?" he stammered, his voice hoarse. "Fett blew up my ship?!" He seemed ready to strangle someone, when Leia gently laid a hand on his shoulder, soothing his thoughts with the Force in an attempt to calm him down. "That's it! I'm glad that Hutt-kissing runt's dead. Too bad I didn't get a piece of him."   
"But the _Falcon_ is still reparable," Luke pointed out. "It's still on Garkonis. Once we've taken care of this mess on Coruscant, we can--"   
Their conversation was interrupted by a hoarde of blaster bolts that hailed from the cavern entrance. Leia fell to the ground, quickly followed by Han, Luke, and the others. Leia looked up, but she couldn't see their attackers. Within seconds, another volley was fired at them.   
"Look out!" Luke shouted, raising his lightsaber blade, and deflecting a shot that would have struck Leia right between the eyes.   
Leia rolled to her feet, and switched on her weapon. She saw their assailants pouring from the base entrance: a force numbering around two- dozen or so, all heavily armed, and determined to gun down their adversaries until every last one of them was dead and smoking on the ground.   
"I thought you said there wouldn't be any resistance!" Leia shouted over at Luke, as she blocked another bolt.   
Luke gave her an exasperated look. "Leia, I think it was _you_ who said that."   
"Will you two stop arguing and start fighting?" Han demanded, as he fired several shots, hitting one Black Sun warrior in the thigh, and dropping him down. "I'd love to," Leia said with a smile, and the first wave of men were upon them.  
  
Wedge had felt an incredible surge of joy as the reinforcements unexpectedly arrived, taking both sides by surprise. Within seconds, the Black Sun fleet was reduced by half, their Star Destroyers going up in flames as bolt after bolt struck them.   
"Excellent!" Wedge shouted, as several other Rogue pilots echoed his sentiment. "Okay, guys, the back-up's here. I need you to find all the X- wings and Y-wings that have the marking of the Imperial Palace, and shoot them down. Black Sun has hijacked several of our ships."   
Wedge took the controls of his fighter, and flew into the heat of the battle with renewed hope.  
  
The Black Sun soldiers were harder opponents than Leia had thought. Several of their numbers had fallen, but there was still plenty of more left. And so far, they seemed determined to keep fighting. Xizor trained these guys well, Leia thought, as she cleaved through a Gamorrean's arm, then took his head off with a clean swipe. They sure don't want us to reach the cloning chamber.   
"Han! Luke!" she shouted over the din, slicing another soldier in half. "Cover me! I'm going in!"   
Han and Luke exchanged brief glances, and Leia could sense their uneasiness. But they obeyed without argument, and the threesome proceeded to head for the cavern entrance, cutting down any Black Sun soldier who stood in their way.   
"Wait up!" Leanna exclaimed, running after them. A Gran stood in her way, swinging a vibroblade toward her chest. Leanna dodged, her hair flying around her face like a cape, grabbed the blade by the hilt, and shoved the tip upward into the Gran's ribs. The three-eyed alien bleated in pain as the vibroblade cut deep into his chest, and he fell. Leanna ignored her fallen opponent and followed Han, Leia, and Luke into the Black Sun base. Kirana Ti and the rest of the Jedi pushed forth, ruthlessly mowing down the remaining soldiers. As soon as Leia entered the base, she could see the light from outside vanish, replaced with the cold darkness of the cavern. She could barely make out the outlines of various starfighters and freighters. She looked up toward the ceiling and saw that the lights had been switched off. From what she could tell, they were alone.   
"Where's the cloning chamber?" Han asked. Leia half-closed her eyes, and stretched out with her mind. Beside her, she saw Luke do the same. She felt the Force comb the entire chamber, searching for any signs of life. She could detect the small molecules and microbes that penetrated the air and their bodies, but nothing larger than that, until--   
--until she sensed a deep disturbance. An almost newborn presence, although not quite real. She could feel its thoughts: panicked, furious...with a tiny trace of insanity.   
Xizor's next clone had just been activated.   
Leia's eyes snapped open, and she and Luke said, "I found it."   
"Where?" asked Leanna, the awe in her eyes betraying her stone-chiseled face.  
"Follow us," Leia said, and she led the way, with Luke next to her. Han and Leanna, after a moment's hesitation, followed suit. Outside, the battle seemed to be drawing to a close. Darkness surrounded the group, the cold light from the lightsabers lighting their path like glowrods. They reached a door at the end of the chamber, made from tons of durasteel. It quickly fell victim to Luke's lightsaber, and in two hacks, it fell away like melted butter.   
After the smoke had cleared, the group entered the small room displayed before them. Leia looked at the room's contents, a grin of satisfaction spreading across her face. They had reached the clone room. Over half a dozen clones resembling Xizor--looking almost perfect; though Leia had witnessed cloning numerous times in her life, she was still amazed by how well-done and realistic they were--surrounded them, wrapped in a white suit, and protected by cryo-tubes in the walls. Their eyes were shut, as if they were sound asleep, unaware of the unexpected visitors. Leia was ready to make sure that they would never wake up.   
"Han," she said coldly. "Bombs."   
"Already one step ahead of you, Princess," Han said, pulling out three Talesian detonators from his hand. "This should be enough to demolish the entire base."   
Leia nodded, looking around at the collection of clones. "Okay, set the timer for five minutes. When these things go off, they will go off really quick. Just one Talesian grenade can take out this entire mountain; three will destroy the entire mountain range. We need to be out of here before that happens."   
Leanna eyes twinkled at the thought of destruction. "Then let's get to it. I want to see how well these babies work."   
"Um...guys?" Luke said. Leia turned to him, surprised by the concern in his voice. "What is it, Luke?" Luke pointed toward one of the cryo-tubes near the door, and Leia saw with horror that the clone from it was gone. The tube was mostly a mound of shattered glass, and it was then that she remembered that one of the clones had been activated.   
Han followed her gaze, and his eyes widened. "Hey, where the hell is the clone?" "Behind you," a voice said from behind.   
Leia knew where he was before he even spoke. With a simple twirl, she and her friends found the source of the voice, standing right in front of the door, barring their only escape.   
Xizor's third clone.   
The group stepped back, their hands clutching their weapons tightly. Leia's lightsaber was held out in front of her in a defensive posture, the sky- blue blade aimed directly at Xizor's heart. With just a single jab, she could--   
"Thought you'd be rid of me, did you?" Xizor said with a grin as he stepped closer to her, one hand going up as if to touch her. His eyes were frenzied and bloodshot, and Leia could sense the smallest amount of insanity present in his voice. That was both a good and a bad thing. Insane clones were very unpredictable and dangerous, but were also easy to kill, as long as you were careful.   
"Xizor, just give up already. It's four against one. There's no way you can beat all of us." From the corner of her eye, she could see Han back up against the corner, one of the Talesian grenades buried in his palm. "Surrender now, and we can end this war once and for all. Why drag it out any further?"   
Xizor laughed, a frightening, maniacal cackle that Leia had never heard from him before. It sounded like the crazed laughter of a Kowakian lizard- monkey. "Foolish little girl!" he hissed. "You can't stop me. Black Sun can't be stopped!"   
"Sure, whatever," Leanna said, then leaned in to whisper in Leia's ear, "If you ask me, this guy is suffering from serious delusions of grandeur."   
"I heard that!" Xizor said, pointing an accusing finger at the woman. "You will be the first to die!"   
Leanna rose to the challenge, pointing her blaster pistol at the Falleen clone's throat. "Wanna bet?" she snapped. "Just one shot, bucko, and I blow a hole right through your cold-blooded throat." She smiled a little, as she set the charge to KILL. "So, do you wanna dance?"   
Leia eyed Xizor, every muscle in her body as tense as stone. She continued watching Han from the corner of her eye, and saw him set the grenade timer to five minutes, and place it gingerly on the floor next to one of the cryo- tubes. She silently thanked the Force that Xizor hadn't noticed. Even if they all died at that moment, the remaining clones would at least be destroyed with them.   
But she had no plans to die here today.   
"These are the last of your clones, aren't they, Xizor?" Luke asked, pointing his saber threateningly in Xizor's direction. "If we destroy these, then you will have lost. Why continue fighting a war that you know you can't possibly win?"   
Xizor smiled at the Jedi Master, showing off his sharp canines. "Because I can, Jedi Master," he snarled. "Now...which one shall I kill first?" His eyes settled on Leia.   
Han saw it as well. "No!" he shouted, as he ran over to Xizor to knock him down. Xizor smiled, as his fist flew into Han's jaw the moment he was a mere two inches away from him. The force of the blow threw Han back and into Luke, causing them both to fly into the wall. Luke shut off his lightsaber, careful not to injure Han, who was on top of him, semi-conscious.   
Leia pursed her lips, and strode over to the Falleen, with Leanna close behind. But the clone was too fast for her, and he threw her back with a powerful uppercut. She slammed back into Leanna with enough power that they were thrown against one of the cryo-tubes, causing the glass to crack and shatter, spilling the deactivated clone onto the floor. Several glass pieces cut into Leia's skin, drawing blood, and she stifled back a gasp. Xizor laughed, as he surveyed the scene.   
"Is this the best you can do?" he snapped, watching as the group slowly began to stagger back up. "Then this is going to be really easy for me." Leia looked over at Han and Luke, saw that they were not too badly hurt, and back to Xizor, a look of pure hatred on her face. Her eyes flashed back to the grenade.   
Two minutes remained. Xizor beckoned them all with a wave of his fingertips. His eyes seemed even more mad-inducing, and Leia realized that the clone was becoming unstable. "Now...who's up for round two?" The four exchanged a brief glance...then took off running.  
  
Xizor watched, startled, as his opponents dashed out of the cloning chamber, without so much as putting up a fight. He was now alone, with the remaining five clones, one of which was sprawled on the floor, as lifeless as a corpse. Xizor looked through the open doorway, barely able to contain his laughter. Two Jedi Knights, a smuggler, and a bounty hunter...all four had barely even lifted a finger against him. It was almost sad, in a way. Xizor stood just outside the doorway, calling after the running four, who were now almost out of the darkened base.   
"That's right, you cowards! Go ahead and run!" His laughter resounded throughout the gigantic chamber. "I told you that you couldn't stop me. Now, Black Sun shall crush the New Republic once and for all, and I will become--"   
A small beeping invaded his eardrums, coming from somewhere in the cloning chamber. Xizor turned around, and re-entered the small room, his eyes narrowed as he scoured the area. That noise, it sounded so familiar to him...   
That was when his eyes laid upon the grenade that had been planted in the room. A Talesian thermal detonator, he realized, powerful enough to destroy a large building. The timer slowly ticked down, with only ten seconds remaining. Xizor immediately realized that there was no way he could escape. His dreams and hopes of ruling over the Republic shattered around him as he watched the seconds painfully melt away on the timer. Melting away, just like his life would be within eight seconds.   
Six, five, four, three, two, one... "Oh, sh..."  
  
"...it!" Leia cursed as the group ran out of the base, and practically leaped into the shuttle--Kirana Ti and the others were already on board, having finished fighting Xizor's minions--just as the entire mountain exploded. Debris and flaming pieces of rock rained down upon them, as the shuttle took off, heading back for the Imperial Palace. One large piece almost struck off one of the ship's wings, causing it to shudder and list under their feet. Leia held onto Han's hand tight as they sat back, their eyes squeezed shut. And then, it was all over.   
The shuttle streamed toward Imperial City, untouched by the explosion. Leia opened her eyes and looked around at the group gathered around her, at Luke, Leanna, Han, the Jedi. And began cheering. Within seconds, the rest joined her in celebration. The cloning chamber was now gone, Xizor's headquarters in ruins. The Black Sun fleet had been routed by Republic reinforcements. After weeks upon weeks of negotiations, death, destruction, and fighting, victory had been achieved at last. Leia exchanged hugs and kisses with Han and Luke. Everyone began congratulating each other for the excellent work. Leanna sat away from the rest, a satisfied look on her face, but unwilling to join in the celebrating, as if her mind was somewhere else. They cheered all the way back to the palace.  
  
Callista had no idea where she was going. She had last seen the Kerash rebels disappear into the jungle after having lost the skirmish at Semaj. She didn't know if they had returned to the sanctuary of the Kerash caves, or had made camp out in the far reaches of the Anasazi jungle, where Armenia's minions could never hope to find them. She followed her instincts--something she had been doing for quite some time now--and continued running through the jungle, somehow knowing that if she wanted to find the rebels, she would.   
As she ran, her mind kept returning to her dream, of what the Force had told her--that magnificent, beautiful voice that had come from the sky-- that Hope was the Calthazar Sonya had spoken of. Her daughter was the key to defeating Arak and the Kerash.   
_Why didn't I see this before?_ Callista thought as she leaped over a fallen log, using the Force to futher boost her leap. She landed on her feet in a small puddle, causing mud to splash over her legs. _I always knew that my daughter was born for a special purpose. What better purpose than to ensure the safety of the universe by defeating a god? _Although so many of her questions had been answered, she still had many, many more. How was Hope going to destroy Arak? Did the portal have to be opened in order for them to fight her? What was the purpose of the fyorga, the Angel of Light? And what did those images in her dream mean? The body, the bottle, Luke's back turned to her.. The girl's sobs...   
Callista looked up at the sky. It would soon be evening, and Anasazi's sun was slowly becoming obscured by the planet's moon. The first signs of the eclipse. _I'm running out of time...   
Yes, Callista, you are. I told you that you couldn't hide from me forever. We're finally going to meet, face-to-face. And there's nothing you can do to stop me... I am coming at last...   
Shut up!_ Callista shouted in her mind, her teeth cutting into her lip. She felt a slight burning pain, but it felt trivial compared to the terror she felt plunge through her heart as she ran. _Get out of my mind, you bitch!   
I'm coming Callista. There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide... _The voice cackled--a deep, low-throated laugh that shattered Callista's eardrums, causing her to sream--and disappeared into oblivion.   
She finally reached a small clearing in the jungle. The first thing her eyes fell upon the cluster of tents that had been set up protectively around each other. She could barely make out the faint images of people wandering about, all heavily armed with weapons. The Kerash rebels, she realized. Relief flooded her, and she ran over to the camp, which seemed so far away from her. Her knees buckled, threatening to collapse if she dared to stop.   
A man stood in her way, holding one hand out toward her. "Halt!" he shouted. "Who are you?"   
"I'm a friend," Callista panted. Her throat was parched, and her voice came out harsh and raspy. "My name's Callista. I'm..."   
The rebel's eyes widened as he recognized her. "Fyorga," he gasped, and bowed down to her, his rough exterior having vanished. It was as if he was standing before a great deity. "Please, come join us. We were just about to leave."   
"Where's Kieran?" Callista asked, as he led her inside the camp. All around them, rebels dropped to one knee and bowed their head in respect to the Angel of Light. "I saw him get shot by an arrow in Semaj. Is he--?"   
"Kieran is all right," the man replied, then pointed toward the rebel leader, who had just exited one of the tents.   
"Kieran! Our savior has rejoined us at last!"   
"Thank you, Trahman," Kieran nodded, and he smiled at Callista. "Welcome back, Callista."   
"How are you feeling?" she asked.   
"Better." Kieran pounded one hard fist against his breastbone, where Armenia's arrow had struck him. "It will take more than mere arrows to bring me down." He looked around at the people gathered around them. "Forgive us for our failure at Semaj, Callista. We fought as hard as we could--"   
"Don't worry about it," Callista said, laying a friendly hand on his shoulder. "You did the best you could. Armenia will be a hard opponent to beat."   
She looked around, addressing all the rebels. "But we will beat her, no matter what the cost."   
"Yes. In fact, we were about to head for the Temple of Arak," Kieran explained. He pointed upward at the sky, toward the slowly-forming eclipse. "By now, the Kerash must be preparing for Arak's arrival. You know what must be done."   
The gathered rebels silently nodded, giving each other worried glances.   
"My friends, I am almost sorry that I dragged you all into this," Kieran began in a soft voice, meeting eyes with everyone, even Callista's. "I don't wish death upon any of you, and I certainly didn't want anyone to go into battle." His voice became rougher as he continued. "But Armenia and Tsin have given us no choice. They have decided to do the unthinkable...release Arak from her prison. They have no idea of how many will die if that happens.   
"I have tried to put this off for so long, but now I cannot. The Ritual of the Coming will begin in less than two hours. We must reach the temple before they succeed. I can't guarantee a victory for us. But I can promise that we will fight to the best of our ability, to ensure that the Kerash will be destroyed once and for all, for the good of the universe. We have the Angel of Light on our side now." He gestured toward Callista, who nodded back. "We must trust in her abilities. She has been called down from the stars to guide us in our war against evil."   
"Would the Fyorga wish to speak to us before we depart for the Temple of Arak?" Trahman suddenly asked.   
The other rebels murmured in agreement. "Yes, speak, speak!" they repeated.   
"We would love to hear what you have to say," Kieran encouraged, offering Callista the floor now. Callista looked around at the people gathered closely around her in a circle. All clad in black robes, muttering amongst themselves, viewing Callista with a mixture of awe and apprehension. It seemed so vaguely familiar...   
Callista cleared her throat. "I really don't know what to say," she said. "But I do know that Arak is evil, and that you all are fighting the good fight. A few hours ago, I had an epiphany. The Calthazar needed to defeat Arak...is my own daughter." The rebels gasped, their whisperings growing even louder. Callista waited until it grew quiet again, and then continued.   
"I am a Jedi Knight, and I know what I must do. I must fight in the name of goodness and light, against the forces of darkness. My daughter is the key to bringing Arak into our world...and she's also the key to stopping her. I...I am glad that I am not the only one who will be fighting Armenia and her warriors. Because I can't do it alone. I may be the Angel of Light, but I'm not invincible. Armenia has already beaten me twice, and she can do it again. I need your help."   
She strained to fight back tears as she spoke._ Funny, I'm about to cry over a bunch of people I don't even know..._   
"I don't know any of you personally," she said. "But I do know this...you're a brave group. You're outmanned and outgunned, but you are still willing to do what is right. Sonya was a brave soul, as well." She felt a pang as she recalled having held the woman's dying body in her arms, just as she had held her mother's..."I just hope that most of us will get through this. And that's really all I have to say."   
The group nodded in agreement, offering Callista grateful smiles. Several bowed again, and Keiran stepped away from them, holding a sword in one hand.   
"Then we must go," he announced, pointing in the direction of the jungle. "The Kerash have to be stopped."   
The rebels dispersed, and headed back into their tents to arm themselves. Trahman came back with a club and a sword. He offered the sword to Callista. "For you, Fyorga," he said.   
Callista smiled and accepted the weapon. "Thank you."   
Within minutes, the rebels had abandoned the camp. They, along with Callista, traveled through the thick jungle, intent on reaching the temple. The sky began to darken as the eclipse swallowed up the evening sky. And as they walked, Callista sent out a single message through the Force, transmitting it across the vastness of space, toward one person. The one man she loved more than anyone in her life, the one man she had betrayed, the one man who had no idea of the son they would never have. It felt like ages since she had last seen him...and she couldn't defeat the Kerash without him.   
_Luke...help me..._  
  
After another hour of fighting, the remnants of the Black Sun fleet, after having heard of Xizor's demise, finally surrendered. The remaining Star Destroyers were confiscated, and the Black Sun officers were imprisoned, where they would wait for a fair trial. Although the New Republic had achieved victory at last, their losses had been horrendous. The statistics totaled up to over two or three million people, most of them civilians who died from the implanted detonators. Over dozens of ships had been destroyed as well, and millions injured during the battle. The space around Coruscant, already littered with wreckage from earlier wars, was now even more crowded with remains of ships than ever. Even now, Leia had sent excavation teams up into orbit to start the clean- up process.   
Imperial City, itself, remained completely unscathed, which was good. Boba Fett--after it was verified that he was truly dead (one can never be too careful with bounty hunters)--had been ejected out into space, where he would forever cruise aimlessly through the black, airless night with the rest of the wreckage around Coruscant. The _Slave IV_ had been sold into scrap, which would be used to repair the _Falcon_.   
Leanna had seemed strangely quiet ever since her skirmish with the bounty hunter during the battle. Luke had considered talking to her about it, but a single, cold look from the woman convinced him otherwise. Luke had not witnessed such carnage since the early days of the Rebellion. The Republic had come so close to losing Coruscant forever. He knew how long it would take for the Republic's wounds to fully heal. It would take years, maybe even longer, for them to recover from this ordeal. And, to top it all off, he was still no closer to finding Hope than he was when the whole mess started.   
Up until now.   
Luke stood in Leia's office, watching as the civilian transports began landing down on the planet, ready to unload everybody and send them back home. Leia and Leanna were with him, along with a now-repaired Cray, who recounted everything that had happened to her since she and Callista had left Coruscant. Han had gone off with Chewie and Threepio to reclaim the _Falcon_ from Garkonis and set to work repairing it.   
Cray, sitting on the chair across from Leia's desk, told them everything, about having freed the Kerash from their cell, accompanying Callista to a planet named Anasazi--Luke had never heard of the planet before, and neither had Leia nor Leanna. She told them about having been captured by Armenia, and about the Kerash's intent.   
Luke was completely at a loss for words. "A god?" he said.   
Cray nodded. "Yes, a god. And not a very nice god, at that. The Kerash plan to bring her back from Raximidaj."   
"I don't know what to say," Leia said, after a long silence. "I mean...a god? Surely, gods don't exist. None of our Jedi records ever mention about deities, good or bad--" "Jedi don't know everything!" Cray snapped, surprisingly angry. "I know it may sound blasphemous to you, but they don't. I've never seen Arak, but I know she's real. And I know how powerful the Kerash are."   
She looked at the three people gathered around her, looking for support. "Come on, you have to believe me!"   
"I'm not sure if we do," Luke said, crossing his arms over his chest. "After all, you're the one who started this mess in the first place. First you try to kill us, then you kidnap my nephew--"   
"What she's saying is true," Leanna suddenly said. It was the first she had spoken since the battle.  
Luke and Leia gave her surprised looks. "Leanna, are you sure? She could be lying just to--"   
"Anasazi was where I was born," Leanna broke in. Her ice-blue eyes seemed harder than ever.   
Luke sucked in a deep breath. _Any more surprises_? he thought, as he said, "You came from Anasazi?" Leanna nodded, looking at both Luke and Leia. "My family left when I was four. I don't remember much from it. My parents didn't approve of the yearly sacrificies the priests performed."   
"Sacrifices?" Leia asked. "Every year, the Kerash priests sacrificed a child in the name of their sun goddess, Arak," Leanna explained. "According to my parents, I was to be the next victim on my fourth birthday. So my mother, my father, my brother, my cousin, and I left in the middle of the night before that could ever happen."   
She swallowed a lump in her throat, obviously reliving the nightmare. "We hardly ever spoke of Anasazi. Too many...bad memories."   
Luke nodded as he observed Leanna, wondering what other "bad memories" haunted her in her mind. "So, Cray is telling the truth?"   
Cray sighed in exasperation. "That's what I've been trying to tell you all along!" Her tone softened, as she favored Luke and Leia with sympathetic eyes. "Look, I really am sorry about what I did to you all. I was...misguided."   
Leia scoffed. "So, that's your excuse? You were misguided, that's all? So, we just forgive you and forget the fact that our children are still out there in the galaxy, and if what you're saying is true--"   
"Hey, I helped you with Black Sun down here, didn't I?" Cray broke in. "And you still don't trust me!"   
"You may have helped us, Cray, but that doesn't excuse what you--"   
"Take it easy, Leia," Luke said softly, clamping a hand over her shoulder. He turned back to Cray. It still unnerved him that he was looking at the face of the same woman whose body Callista now inhabited. "You've done some really terrible things to us, Cray. The real Cray would never have done such things. But you can still redeem yourself. Help us save our children, and rid the galaxy of the Kerash."   
Cray nodded. "Oh, you bet your ass I'm going to help. I'm going to kick the Kerash's sorry ass all the way to the next galaxy, after what they did to me."   
"So, when do we leave?" Leia asked, looking over at Luke.   
Luke was prepared to reply, when he suddenly felt a chilling sensation in the Force. It flowed through his entire body, turning his heart to ice. As his body tensed, he heard Callista's voice, soft and beautiful, ring through his ears.   
_Luke...help me..._   
"Callista?" he said, and turned to Leia, who had experienced the same feeling. "Leia, did you--"   
"Yes," she replied quickly, her eyes widening.   
We leave now, then, Luke said. His eyes lowered down to Cray. "Can you take me there?"   
The HRD nodded. "No problem. I'll need a ship, though."   
"You can take mine," Leanna offered, drawing herself up to her full height, standing even taller than Luke. "The _Silver Wings_. But I'm going with you guys." When she noticed the look Luke gave her, she added, "Personal business."   
Luke nodded, and turned to Leia. "Will you be joining us, or--"   
Leia shook her head. "I need to stay here and assist with the clean-up operations." Luke could feel the massive amount of stress building up within her. There were dark rings under her eyes from lack of sleep, her skin paler than normal. They had all suffered greatly in the past few weeks, but Leia had had it even harder than any of them.  
Luke smiled as he kissed his sister on the forehead. "You'll be fine, Leia," he whispered. Leia hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Just come back safe," she said, "and with our children...and Callista."   
"I will," Luke said, as he broke away from the hug. "I promise."  
  
Hope sat against the wall of her cell and tapped her feet. She was tired of waiting for something to happen---she wanted her mommy and daddy, she wanted to go home. Outside, she heard the noises of shuffling feet and low voices. Finally. She stood up, nudging Anakin. "They're coming." she said. Her heart was pounding, and she knew she only had a matter of hours before the ceremony was going to begin.   
Anakin stood up beside her, taking her hand in his own and squeezing it tightly. "I'm scared, Hope." he whimpered. Just as Daddy had taught her to, Hope reached out and searched for her parents through the Force. "Don't worry. Mommy's coming for us. Daddy too." She squeezed her cousin's hand and looked up at him. "It's all going to be okay. We're okay."  
  
Kinshur lay curled on a straw mat, the prickly sticks poking into his yellowed, papery skin. His dystrophied muscles tightened painfully as he drew a breath, his poorly healed bones crackled as he shifted. He tried to move as little as he could these days, the pain was so great, but every time his nerves tore him apart, he reminded himself of the glory he would receive at the eclipse--he would die, yes, but everyone would remember him as the vessel that brought Arak back from Raximidaj.   
Snarling, Kinshurr banged his head against the wall to punish himself for such selfish thoughts. He felt the blood trickle over his scar tissue and down his neck, saw spots in front of his eyes. The door in front of him banged open, and shadowy figures assembled around him.   
"It is time. For Arak." One of them said, bending over Kinshur's crippled form. Groaning, Kinshur nodded. "For Arak."  
The sun crested over the hills, half-hidden behind the moon's shadow, signifying the beginning of the day that Arak would return.  
  
"Okay, whose bright idea was it to plow right through the Nivea asteroid field?" Jacen snapped derisively at his sister as Jaina piloted Teneniel's shuttle through hyperspace on a course set for Anasazi.   
Jaina snorted, casting a disdainful glance at her brother. "Well, maybe if you weren't so busy with all your whining, that incident would never have happened! And hey, we managed to survive. So, I say bravo for us." She clasped the controls even tighter, muttering under her breath, "Why couldn't I have been an only child? My life would have been so much more peaceful..."   
"I heard that!" Jacen said, pointing an accusing finger at her.   
"You were supposed to hear it, you ignoramus!" she shot back. "And anyways, it wasn't me that almost got us sucked into that black hole in the Ghrutag Sector, was it, Mr. Smarty-Pants?"   
Jacen sighed. His sister was like a squealing lizard-monkey, only not half as endearing. And she kinda looked like one, too, he thought.   
"Why do you always do that?" he asked. "You always somehow manage to change the conversation back to me. We're not talking about me, we're talking about you. How come you always change the freakin' subject?"   
"It's because I'm a lot smarter than you," Jaina said haughtily.   
"Yeah," Jacen scoffed. "In your dreams, maybe. But in reality, you make a blurgg look like a professor at the Imperial City University."   
"Well, at least I don't sleep with a Wookiee stuffed doll every single night!" Jaina retorted. "Unlike some people around here."   
That was it for Jacen. She had finally crossed the line. Anyone who talked bad about his stuffed Wookiee, Cuddles, was asking for trouble. "You leave Cuddles out of this!" he said. "And you're doing it again! You're changing the subject."   
"I guess I'm just too smart for you," Jaina said, focusing on the starlines that engulfed the cockpit viewport. "Face it, Jacen, I am the Queen of Comebacks."   
Jacen had to laugh at that. "More like the Queen of Morons," he whispered quietly, knowing that Jaina would still hear him. And, judging by the extremely poisonous glare she thew in his direction, Jacen was proved right. "I heard that!" she shouted.   
"Hey, Jaina," Jacen said, making his voice sound as arrogant and prissy as possible, "you were supposed to hear it, you ignoramus."   
"That is it!" Jaina said, clutching the hyperspace lever so hard that she almost snapped it in two. "As soon as we get to Anasazi, you are so dead! I'm gonna--"   
Their fight was rudely interrupted by a flying dagger that flew through the air and punctured the space between the twins, making a small hole through the console. Jacen and Jaina turned their heads back, startled, to see Tenel Ka standing behind them, another tiny dagger held in one hand, her face as hard and emotionless as stone.   
"Will you two please cease the fighting?" the little girl demanded. "Sisters of Light, if I was your sister, I would've given myself up for adoption a long time ago."   
Jacen and Jaina looked over at each other, then back at Tenel Ka, then at the knife she held. Seconds later, they exchanged hasty, completely fake apologies, and concentrated on the viewscreen. Jacen felt a ripple through the Force as Jaina's voice rang in his head.   
_Nice job, doofus. Now she's mad at us.   
Hey, you started it, Hutt-face.   
No-uh! You did, slime-eater!   
Bantha butt-licker!   
Ronto pus-eater!   
Idiot!   
Moron!   
I can still hear you,_ Tenel Ka's voice said through the Force, her voice easily dwarfing Jacen's and Jaina's. _You are not the only Force-sensitive people around here. Remember that.   
Darnit, _Jacen thought, as he turned over to Jaina. "We'll settle this, later."   
Jaina grinned. "I'm looking forward to it."   
"So, Tenel Ka," Jacen said, changing the subject, as Jaina refocused on flying the shuttle, "what's all this talk about the Sisters of Light? You mentioned it several times already."   
"The Sisters of Light, friend Jacen, is merely another name for the Force," Tenel Ka explained, practicing teras kasi moves with her small dagger. "It was the Force that spoke to us in our dreams."   
"The Force?" Jacen gasped, and he saw Jaina do a double-take at that. He looked over at Tenel Ka, and saw no change in her expression. "Are you serious? Was it really the Force that talked to us? It was the Force that told us to go to Anasazi? It was the Force that told us that it was up to us to save the universe?"   
Tenel Ka nodded. "Yes, Jacen. I cannot believe that you are surprised. Who did you expect it to be? Captain Zarckan?"   
Jacen giggled. Apparently, Tenel Ka was a huge fan of The Adventures of Captain Zarckan as well. It was Anakin's favorite holovid program, as well. And as Jacen though of his little brother, he felt the sadness start to return again, and he averted his gaze from the warrior girl, staring down at his hands.   
Tenel Ka must have sensed his turmoil, for she went over to him and placed a strong hand over his arm. "Do not worry, my friend," she said calmly, her voice still hard...but with a tiny tint of love and caring to it. "We will find your brother and cousin."   
Jacen looked up at her and smiled. For the first time, he noticed how gray her eyes were. They were so...gorgeous.   
"Thanks," he said. "I really appreciate you coming along to help us, Tenel Ka. It means a lot to me."   
"I am glad to be of service," Tenel Ka whispered, and the two locked eyes upon each other, as if a special rapport had suddenly developed between them. Tenel Ka's eyes seemed to yearn for Jacen, and Jacen too longed for her. Their faces leaned in together, slowly--  
--when Jacen suddenly pulled away and exclaimed, "But I can't believe that it was the Force that spoke to us! That is so cool! Oh, if only Uncle Luke had been there to see it. It would've knocked his socks off."   
Tenel Ka nodded, slightly disappointed, slightly embarrassed, and stepped away from his seat. "This is a fact," she whispered, as the shuttle pulled out of hyperspace, displaying a large, lonely green planet, surrounded by over a dozen moons, one of which, a large white-blue behemoth covered with thousands of small craters, seemed to be directly in front of the system's sun, forging an eclipse that would encompass the entire planet.   
"Well," Jaina said, navigating the shuttle toward the planet, "here it is. Anasazi."  
  
Hope and Anakin shrank back against the cold, slime-ridden wall of the dungeon as the door creaked eerily open. The two children clasped hands together, giving each other strength, for it would probably be the last time they would hold each other before-- _No_, Hope silently admonished herself. _Don't think bad thoughts like that. Mommy and Daddy are coming for us. They'll save us from these bad people, and we can all go home...   
_But a new fear plagued her mind. What if Mommy and Daddy arrived too late? She had sensed them coming, true, but they were still so far away. Even Jedi Knights had their limitations. What if they arrived at the temple, only to see their daughter die? Hope cringed at the thought of death. She had never been this close to death before in her life, and here it was now, staring her right in the face. She didn't want to admit it--she refused to admit it--but deep down, where she knew she couldn't lie to herself, she knew that she was going to die. It was a strange feeling, knowing that your own death was approaching. It was an experience Hope had never felt before, and she hated it.   
The door opened, and the darkness that permeated the cold, uninviting dungeon gave away to the flames from a torch. Hope could hear several people enter, their footsteps echoing off the stone floor. They would be within arm's length of her and Anakin within seconds. The moment she had been dreading had arrived.   
"Hope," she heard Anakin weakly whispered. She looked into the boy's blue eyes. "Before we...before the ritual...there's something I want you to know."   
Hope swallowed a lump in her throat, prepared for the worst. "What?"   
"I love you, Hope," Anakin said, his grip on her hand tightening. "I've always loved you, and I always will. And, no matter what happens, that will never change."   
Hope held back the tears that threatened to spill, and she hugged her cousin. Her face touched her shoulder, and that was when the sobbing started. She couldn't help herself. No amount of control could stop her as she wept openly on Anakin's shoulder. Her whole body shuddered, and she felt like she was falling apart as she let out all the fear and sorrow she had been keeping locked within her heart for so long.   
"I love you, too, Anakin," she said, choking on her own words, as if she couldn't believe she was saying her final goodbye to her best friend, couldn't believe that she was going to..."You're my friend, Annie. The best friend I've ever had." She tried to say more, but the sobs overwhelmed her.   
"Shhhh," Anakin soothed, returning her embrace with strong arms. "Be brave, Hope. The Force will be with us. Just wait and see. We'll get through this just fine."   
A voice cut through the darkness like a burning blade. "Do you really believe the Force is going to save you now, children? Nothing is going to save you from the will of Arak."   
The two turned, eyes wide with fright, as Armenia towered over them, flanked by four of her fellow Kerash warriors. They were no longer in their black robes, but in fine, ceremonial clothes, made of red and gold silk. Armenia, in particular, looked lovely, with a red dress, topped with a golden-laced vest that covered her chest, with three gold buttons buttoned all the way up to her neck. A tattoo of a burning sun had been emblazoned on her cheeks, giving the woman a malicious appearance. The light from her torch illuminated the two children, and Hope saw the dried blood that covered their clothes and skin, from the earlier baptism. She felt a shudder course through her body as she remembered the priests pouring the foul substance on them, her urge to scream as blood ran into her eyes, nose, and mouth...blood that wasn't even hers.   
"Awwww," Armenia said in a singsong voice, turning to her comrades, and gesturing toward Hope and Anakin. "Aren't they adorable? So scared, and helpless, it's almost cute in a way." She added, with an edge of dark malevolence, "Take them."   
Hope and Anakin remained locked in their hug, as the Kerash pulled them apart. Hope screamed and kicked, hitting her captor several times in the shins, but he didn't even flinch. She saw two grab Anakin by the arms and drag him away. Taking him away from her forever.   
"Annie!" she shouted, feeling the tears start to return. "Annie, come back! Leave him alone! Please, bring him back! If you're going to kill us, at least let us die together!"   
Armenia chuckled. "How moving," she said in a flat, sarcastic voice. She brought the torch close up to Hope's face, the flames almost touching her blood-caked, grimy face. "You make another sound, little girl, and those pretty eyes of yours will be melted away." She looked up at the Kerash holding her, and nodded. Hope made no other sound as they took her out of the dungeon and toward the Main Hall of the temple, where the Ritual of the Coming would be performed.   
Toward her death.  
_  
A jungle... _  
Luke found himself standing in the midst of it, covered in small beads of sweat, dressed in a black jumpsuit. No longer was he on board Leanna's ship, the _Silver Wings_. He looked around, and saw no sign of either Leanna or Cray. It was as if they had just...disappeared.   
_Where am I?_ he thought, as he pushed aside a drooping tree branch, marveling at the size and shape of the strange behemoths that surrounded him. For a moment, he thought he was on Yavin 4, but in no way did the Massassi trees on the small jungle moon look like this. No, he was somewhere else. A place he had never seen before.   
_Anasazi...   
_ The smell of burning ozone filled his nostrils, and Luke barely held back a cough. It smelled eerily familiar to him. _Fire_, he realized. _Something's burning...   
The fire...  
_He followed the scent, pushing aside vines and branches, wishing he could just slice them with his lightsaber, had he had his weapon with him. He pushed aside the last purplish-green vine, and saw a small clearing in the midst of the rainforest. There, he saw the flames, the smoke rising up into the reddish-gold evening sky. People were gathered around the fire, draped in black. He couldn't see their faces, they seemed so blurry. Fading away...fading away...   
It was a funeral pyre, he realized. That was why the scent had seemed so familiar to him. He had smelled the exact same thing when he had burned his father's lifeless body on the forest moon of Endor. Someone had died. But who...   
The sound of crashing waves filled his ears, mixing in with the crackling sounds of the fire. The sounds of a large ocean...but where? He looked around, but saw no signs of any bodies of water nearby. An ocean...in the middle of a jungle? Someone stepped up beside him, taking him by surprise, for he had not heard anyone approach him prior to that. He spun to his left, and looked into the face of a kind old woman, a face he had not seen for over a decade.   
"Aunt Beru?" he gasped.   
Beru, the woman who had looked after Luke on Tatooine before her brutal murder at the hands of the Empire, smiled sadly at him, then turned to the funeral before them. "Through dying suns and midnights grim..."   
Luke recognized the words. It was the song she had used to sing to him when he had been a little boy, when he couldn't sleep because of the "monsters" that hid under his bed. No matter how scared he was, that song always managed to put him to sleep, forgetting about the "monsters"...   
He looked over at the fire, and the faces became clearer to him. He still couldn't see them, but they were slowly becoming less blurry. One seemed to be staring directly at him, ignoring the raging fire.   
"Beru, what am I doing here?" he asked the old woman. "Why are you here? What does all of this mean?"   
"And treachery, and faith gone dim," Beru continued, ignoring his queries. Her eyes seemed to glow an inner yellow. The evening suddenly became darker. Luke looked up at the sky, and saw that Ansazi's sun was slowly being dwarfed by a moon, creating an eclipse. In his ears, he could hear a distant chanting. Voices, men and women combined, swirling around in his head, deep and threatening.   
_Arak, Arak, Arak, Arak...   
_"Whatever dark the world may send..."   
The faces of the people became more distinctive, as the flames on the pyre built to a raging climax, and Luke finally saw the face of the one staring up at him.   
Himself. As Luke stared, horrified, as his doppelganger, the other's mouth started to move, forming words.   
"Still lovers meet at journey's end," he whispered, finishing the final verse of the song.   
"Except that they don't meet at journey's end," Beru suddenly said, turning to face Luke. Her eyes glowed even brighter, demonic and evil. "Do they, my dear?"   
Luke staggered away from her, unable to disguise his terror. "What is this?" he demanded, his voice shaking. "What are you doing to me?"   
"Nothing," the other Luke answered coldly. "You are the one causing all of this. This is your dream." Luke finally understood.   
"A dream," he repeated, his heart jumping painfully in his throat. "A dream...this is just a dream. And any minute now, I'm going to wake up from it, and you will all be gone--"   
"Oh, it's not that easy," Beru said with a chuckle, and Luke saw, for the first time, how pale his aunt looked. Her skin hung loose from her bones, melting away like wax, revealing the skeleton underneath. "You can erase this nightmare, but it won't go away. There is always the future, Luke. And when you least expect it, death shall finally come." Greenish-black pus oozed from her pores, eating away at her flesh like acid. She looked horrifying. "Would you like to see it?"   
Luke backed up against a tree, averting his eyes from the disgusting sight. He looked back at the funeral pyre, and saw a figure rise from the flames. "What is...?" he gasped, watching as the flesh from his other half began melting away as well.   
"It's your future," the dream Luke growled, his eyes falling loose from their sockets. The sickening smell of decay wafted through the air, drowning out even the scent of the smoke from the fire. "Come closer, Luke, and see."   
"No," Luke said, trying to cover his eyes with his hands. But they refused to budge. They remained locked on the fire, on the figure that had burst from the flames, that was now walking toward them, a mass of charred flesh. "No! Keep away from me!"   
"What are you afraid of, Luke?" Beru asked, her voice low-throated and monstrous. Not human...not human at all. She laughed, and the people gathered around the fire, all reduced to mere skeletons, joined in, their laughter surrounding Luke, penetrating his ears and reaching his mind, growing louder and louder.   
Luke screamed, his voice nothing compared to the roar around him, and the burned figure stopped in front of him, revealing a set of beautiful eyes, familiar eyes. Eyes the color of...   
Then there was nothing.


	18. Reunion and Revelation

Chapter 18  
  
"Master Skywalker? Master Skywalker, wake up!"   
Luke screamed as he awoke from his nightmare, the images of the funeral still dancing around in his head. He looked up and saw Cray standing over him, holding him by the shoulders, a concerned look on her face. He felt dizzy, and realized that she had been shaking him.   
"Are you okay?" the HRD asked. "Leanna and I heard you scream. I was worried that--"   
"I'm fine," Luke said, and coughed. He looked into Cray's eyes, and for a brief second, saw Aunt Beru again, saw her flesh melt away from her bones, the pus that broke from her skin...   
_The fire... _  
Luke took several deep breaths, and realized that he was sweating. He reached over and switched on the overhead lights, bathing the tiny room in white, and laid his head in his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It was just..."   
"...a bad dream," finished Cray, and nodded in understanding. "I've had plenty of those lately, believe me." Luke looked up at her, surprised that a droid was capable of having bad dreams.   
"Tell me about them," he told her softly, just wishing to forget the horrific events that had transpired in his nightmare. He could still hear Beru's evil laughter deep in the back of his mind.   
Cray sighed and seated herself on the end of the cot, placing her hands uncomfortably on her knees. "I guess that..." She seemed at a loss for words. She looked over at Luke. "Your wife, Callista, told me about what happened on the _Eye of Palpatine_." Luke nodded, remembering. "She told you about...the death of the real Cray?"   
The droid nodded. "What's ironic about that is that I thought I was the real Cray. For a very, very long time. The Kerash programmed me to think that. And when Callista finally told me the truth about what happened to Nichos and me...I didn't want to believe it. I refused to believe that all these years was all for nothing. But...the sad thing is, they were." She looked away from him. Luke wiped some sweat dripping down his cheeks--despite the coldness of the small room, he was sweating like a Gamorrean--and moved closer to Cray, wishing he could do more for her.   
"I'm sorry that this had to happen to you," he said softly, laying a hand on her arm. "And I'm sorry too," Cray admitted. "For trying to kill you and Callista. And for allowing the Kerash to kidnap your daughter and nephew. I was--"   
"Misguided, that's all," Luke said. "Don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault that the Kerash programmed you to be like this. We'll get the children back...and make the Kerash pay for all the terrible things they have done to us."   
Cray nodded, and she offered him a smile. "Thank you," she said.   
"How's Leanna doing?" Luke asked.   
The HRD shrugged. "Okay, I guess. She's just so laconic; she refuses to talk about anything. I've seen dursateel walls that are friendlier than her. Something must be wrong with her."   
"I think I know what it is," Luke said quietly, focusing on the open doorway that led out into the corridor leading to the cockpit.   
"What do you think it is?" asked Cray curiously.   
"I'll tell you later," Luke answered, as he rose from the cot and donned his Jedi robe. "If you'll excuse me, Cray, Leanna and I need some time alone together."   
Cray nodded and watched as Luke left the room. He reached the cockpit within seconds, and saw Leanna in the pilot's seat, focused on the viewscreen. She remained as still and silent as a statue, even when Luke came in.   
"How are you doing?" he asked her casually as he seated himself in the seat next to her.   
"We'll be at Anasazi in ten standard minutes," was all Leanna said in reply, and continued her silence. Luke nodded, and the two sat together in silence, a slight wall of tension building between them. The only sound in the room was the hum of the ship's hyperspace engines. Luke relaxed, waiting for Leanna to make the first move. She finally did.   
"He killed my family," she said in so brisk a tone that Luke almost missed it. He looked over at her, not at all surprised.   
"Who?" he asked, feigning ignorance.   
"You know damn well who," Leanna snapped, causing Luke to smile. She was a woman not easily fooled, and he had to admire that. "The Hutt-slime formerly known as Boba Fett." Her eyes still remained glued to the viewscreen, but the barriers around her were starting to tumble down.   
"What happened?" Luke said softly. Not commanding, just encouraging.   
"It was on my ninth life day," Leanna explained. "I was having such a wonderful time. I was at home with my mother, father, brother, and little sister. We were getting ready to celebrate my life day...when we were attacked." She paused, as if replaying the events all over again in her head, and continued, "My parents were in the kitchen when it happened. They were killed when the roof collapsed down upon them. My brother was knocked unconscious as well. My sister and I managed to get out in time...and I decided to go back inside, to save the rest of my family."   
She stopped, the faintest shimmer of tears glimmering in her ice-blue eyes. Luke considered reaching out to comfort her, but decided that sympathy was the last thing Leanna wanted at the moment. Instead, he sat back and waited for her to continue.   
"As I was going back into what was left of our house, I saw him. Fett had my sister, Llia, in his arms, and he was dragging her away. I tried to save her, but he knocked me out with a stun beam. By the time I woke up, it was..." She couldn't finish the sentence.   
"There was nothing you could have done," Luke said gently, echoing the same words Leia had told him when he had watched Vader kill Obi-Wan.   
Leanna nodded. "You're right. There wasn't. And because of that, my parents are dead, my brother is in a hospital, still in a coma, and my sister is gone. I loved Llia more than anyone else I have ever known...and she was just taken away from me." For the first time, she glanced over at Luke. "Do you have any idea how that feels, Jedi Master, to see your family just taken away from you like that? And unable to do anything about it?"   
_Yes_, Luke thought. _Many times, in fact_. The memories of seeing the charred corpses of Owen and Beru returned, along with the image of Beru in his dream...  
"I can't say that I completely understand what you're going through, Leanna. But I do want you to know that revenge will never make things right. Killing Fett didn't bring your family back."   
Rather than argue with him, as he had expected, Leanna nodded in agreement. "I know. For a long time, I believed otherwise. But when I finally had the perfect opportunity to kill Fett...I couldn't take it. He wasn't worth killing, and when I finally realized that...I didn't want to live anymore. I was just hoping for my suffering to end, my nightmare to end. If I can't get my family back...then I have no other reason for living."   
This time, several tears began to fall from her hardened eyes.   
"That's not true," Luke said. "You do have a reason for living. Your brother and your sister. Your sister may still be alive somewhere, waiting for you to find her, so you can be together once again. And your brother is not dead, either. He may be in a coma, but there is still a chance he may wake up. I was in a coma once as well..."   
Leanna sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice slightly weak. "I'm usually a lot stronger than this..."   
"Don't be sorry. Grieving for your loved ones is never a sign of weakness. Trying to hide your feelings is." This time, Luke reached out to her, putting his hand on her back, and she didn't argue. "Listen to me, Leanna. You're a good person. And if you don't find your sister...then I'll do everything in my power to help you."   
Through the curtain of tears, Leanna gave him a surprised look. "You would do that for me, Jedi Master?" she asked.   
Luke smiled. "It's what Jedi do."   
A smile broke across Leanna's face, and she nodded in acceptance. "Thank you very much," she said, and turned back to the controls. "We should be coming out of hyperspace any minute now."   
Luke sighed, as he watched the starlines revert back to white pinpricks in the black sky as the _Silver Wings_ came out of lightspeed. "How tough are these Kerash?" he asked. "Pretty tough," Leanna admitted. "They show no mercy to anyone who stands in their way. And if what Cray is saying about Arak is true...then they'll become invincible. It'll take more than Jedi to beat them if they succeed in freeing Arak from Raximidaj."   
Luke nodded, as he looked upon the planet of Anasazi. A chill ran through him as the _Silver Wings_ closed in on the jungle planet. He sensed something, a dark, long-evil presence deep within the heart of the planet, a force of unbelievable power, power he had never felt before...   
The image of Beru returned to him, along with the flames, and the jungle, and the skeletons, and the charred being, and the eclipse...   
_I'm sorry, Luke. I couldn't stop her...   
_He suddenly had a bad feeling about this.  
  
_ We'll be together forever, right, Lea?   
Yeah, we will, Llia. Together forever, in our hearts.   
_Llia laid upon the small hay-stuffed mattress in her tiny cell, on the thin line between life and death, her eyes staring endlessly upon the cracked ceiling. She barely moved a muscle, for any amount of movement--whether big or small--caused a tremendous mountain of agony to burn through her back.   
The purification had lasted for almost two hours. And it had been the most painful two hours she had ever imagined. Worse than all the times Armenia had punished her for being bad. All she could remember was her own screaming, and an endless stream of pure agony as the fire-poker burned deep into her back...   
After the purification, Armenia had brought Llia out of the temple dungeons, and into a small room on the higher levels. She had laid her unceremoniously on the uncomfortable cot, not even bothering to tend to her wounds. She had gazed down upon her, disgust and apathy evident on her face.   
"I hope you have learned your lesson, my dear cousin," Armenia had snarled. "I shall return after the Ritual of the Coming. If you're still alive, then that will be fine. If not...oh well." Without another word, she had turned and left. That had been hours ago. Llia had remained on the cot, unmoving, wincing as the hay sticking out of the worn-out mattress dug into the wound in her back. Her nerves shuddered with pain, and she wished that she could just fall unconscious, if only to make the pain go away. Her injury was grievous; her spine clearly showed through the gaping hole. The wound had been cauterized, so there was no blood, but that didn't alleviate the pain any. And as she laid there, not sure whether she would live or die, she thought of Leanna.   
_I'm sorry,_ _Leanna_, Llia thought sadly, on the verge of tears. _I tried to help Hope and Anakin...but I failed. Armenia is too strong for me. For so many years, I resisted her, but I was only delaying the inevitable. And now look at me. I'm dying.   
Don't give up, sis_, she heard Leanna say. She knew it wasn't really her voice, just her deranged mind whispering lies into her ears. _You can beat her. I know you can. You just have to have faith.   
I must be going crazy, _Llia thought with a small bit of amusement. _Now I'm talking to voices in my head._ She stared up at the ceiling as time slowly dripped away. Her sister's words echoed in her head, never going away.   
_Together forever, in our hearts._   
The ceiling started to move, take shape. Llia's eyes widened, wondering if she was seeing things. For seconds, the ceiling seemed to move, and coalsced into a very familiar face--   
"Lea?" she gasped.   
Leanna's face stared down at her with a smile. "I'm here, little sis," it whispered. "I'm sorry Armenia hurt you. But I know you can make it. You're one of the strongest people I've ever known. You can do it. I know you can."   
"But, how?" Llia asked, not caring if anyone heard her. "I'm beaten. Even now, the Kerash are preparing for Arak's return. How can I stop them without you?" She began to sob, reflecting back on happier times, when she still had her family, before the bounty hunter had taken her away. "I need you, Lea. I need you with me. You're the only true family I have left."   
"I know," Leanna said softly, her voice so beautiful and real. Llia had missed hearing her voice. "And we will be together soon, Llia. I'm coming to save you."   
Her words sparked a new sense of hope in Llia. She gazed up at the ceiling, into Leanna's eyes. "You...You're coming?" she asked hopefully.   
The face nodded. "Yes, I am." Llia could barely contain the smile that spread across her face, despite the terrible pain. She had been burning to hear those words for so long. After years of praying, years of doubting, her wish had finally come true. Her sister was coming to rescue her. And they would be together again.   
Tears of joy fell down her cheeks, spilling onto the hay-covered mattress. Llia wiped them with one grimy hand, and smiled up at the ceiling, just as her sister's face began to disappear...   
"No!" she shouted weakly, stretching one hand up, longing to touch Leanna's face just once, before it went away. The joyful tears turned into desperation as Leanna left her once again. "Please, don't go! Don't leave me again, Lea! Please!"   
"I'm here, Llia." The voice sounded so close. Llia gasped as she felt a cold hand touch her shoulder, a shadow loomed over her. She turned around, expecting to see Armenia glaring down at her-- --and instead found Leanna.   
"Leanna?" Llia choked, sobbing even harder than before. "By Sheherhera, it can't be you--"   
"I'm sorry, child, but I'm not her," Leanna said softly, with no trace of menace or evil. Despite her words, she radiated with goodness and light. She may not be Leanna, but Llia knew that she was good. "I have taken your sister's form. Leanna is indeed heading here even as we speak. And you two will be reunited once again."   
She waved a hand slowly in front of the child's face, and in her mind's eye, Llia saw a ship coursing through Anasazi's atmosphere. The _Silver Wings_ was stenciled on its side, and inside, she saw Leanna at the controls, a determined expression on her face, as she prepared to land on the planet. The spirit hadn't lied. Leanna was truly here, looking for her! "It is her!" Llia exclaimed, elated beyond belief. She looked up at the spirit with grateful eyes. "Thank you so much! I don't know how to...what about Armenia?"   
"The Kerash are about to begin the Ritual of the Coming," the spirit said gravely. "The eclipse is almost complete. Leanna will soon be here, along with the Skywalkers, and the rebels, but they need your help. You must go to the Main Hall, and free Hope and Anakin before their blood is drawn, and the portal to Raximiaj opens."   
Llia felt her relief at seeing her sister again evaporate into overwhelming despair. "But...how? The purification...I can't..."   
"I know," the spirit said. "I need you to relax..." She sat Llia up, careful not to cause any pain. Llia let her do so, wondering what the spirit was planning to do. She felt her cool hand brush lightly against the wound in her back. The spirit, still in the form of her sister, closed her eyes and began humming. Within seconds, Llia felt the wave of pain start to dissipate. Her wound began to close up under the spirit's touch, healed by her goodness. The burnt tissue disappeared, replaced by healthy, newborn flesh. In no time at all, all traces of the wound had been wiped out. Llia sat still on the mattress, feeling more alive and rejuvinated than she had been since she had been taken away from her family. Her body felt new and strong. It was as if she had been given a second chance of life. She looked up at the spirit, amazed.   
"You...healed me?" A sudden epiphany came to her as everything fit into place. "You're the Shemra, aren't you? The essence of the Force itself?"   
The spirit nodded. "Yes. Now, you must go, Llia. You still have time. I shall return when the time comes." As she spoke, she became more transparent, fading away into nothingness. "Good luck, Llia. May the Force be with you."   
The spirit disappeared, leaving Llia alone once again, healed and filled with hope. The little girl quickly rose from the mattress, and opened the door to her cell. Surprisingly, Armenia had forgotten to lock it. Either that, or the Shemra had unlocked it for her...   
She checked the darkened hallway to make sure no one was around, saw no one, and then headed for the Main Hall. Outside, the sky turned a dark purple-black as the moon blocked out the sunlight. The spirit had been right; the eclipse was almost finished. The Kerash would soon begin the ritual...and she had to get there before that happened.  
  
As the _Silver Wings_ landed in a clearing in the jungle, a flood of memories returned to Leanna. She had not seen Anasazi in so many years, it felt like she was in a dream...or rather, a nightmare. Her family had rarely spoken of Anasazi in the years after they had left the treacherous world. Her brother sometimes, in an attempt to scare the living Force out of her, would tell her "ghost stories" of the Kerash cutting open the chests of their victims and eating their hearts.   
Her parents, however, seemed to want to just forget about their dark past and move on with their lives. And now, Leanna was reliving her nightmare. It was a nightmare worse than Boba Fett, worse than losing her brother and sister. It was the nightmare of facing a true god. She remembered little about her life on Anasazi, but what little she did remember was terrifying. She remembered seeing black-robed people bursting through the homes in her village, dragging screaming children from their parents's arms, taking them to the Temple of Arak. Leanna herself had almost been one of those children.  
As Leanna shut down the ship's engines, she saw the eclipse in the sky through the viewport, just as her brother had told her in his stories. She looked over at Skywalker, and saw that his face had turned pale, as if he had just seen an apparition.   
"Are you okay, Skywalker?" she asked.   
Skywalker barely nodded. "The eclipse...it was in my dream."   
Leanna nodded in understanding--_What is it with Jedi and their dreams?_--and unbuckled her crash webbing. "It's been years since I've seen this place. So I'm not quite sure where the temple is located. You'll have to use your Force tricks if you want to find the Kerash..."   
Skywalker nodded as he followed after her, a distant look in his blue eyes. "Right. I'll do that." Something else seemed to be bothering him, something more than just the eclipse, and she briefly wondered asking him about it...but Leanna let that go. She knew all about keeping secrets...  
  
The group had been traveling for over two and a half hours now, and Callista was starting to get tired. Kieran had offered her a jug of water, which she had gratefully accepted, and drank freely. The last few weeks had now taken its toll on her, and she longed for just a few minutes of rest. But she knew that rest would come later. Right now, she had to focus on the here and now, on reaching the Temple of Arak before it was too late. She had no time to think about her own personal needs, when the lives of billions hung in the balance. As they walked, several of the Kerash rebels regarded Callista with respectful nods and bows wherever she went. Callista returned their gestures with a smile of gratitude, allowing herself just a brief second to let her ego swell at the thought of being worshipped like a goddess. But it went away as quickly as it had arrived, and grim, dark reality returned. "The eclipse is almost complete," Kieran observed, looking up at the dark night sky. Callista followed his gaze, up to where the moon had almost completely cut off the sun's rays, shrouding Anasazi in darkness. "By now, the Kerash are preparing for the Ritual of the Coming. We must quicken our speed if we are to get there in time."   
"How long does this ritual last?" Callista asked the rebel leader, her boots crunching against the fallen leaves on the ground. Kieran shrugged. "I'm not sure. Hours, maybe minutes. The Kerash begin the ritual as soon as the eclipse is finished. First, they draw the blood of the Vessel, the child chosen to be purified. Then the blood of the Bond is drawn, and the blood is mixed into a bowl, causing a rip in the fabric of space to open." Callista felt her stomach wrench at the mention of her daughter's blood. The idea of these vile people using her own daughter's blood to open a portal sickened her to no end.   
"Once the blood is mixed," continued Kieran, "the Vessel must drink. This will finalize the opening of the portal, and Arak will be freed from Raximidaj."   
"Just like that?" Callista asked.   
Kieran nodded grimly. "Just like that." Through the last few bits of sunlight that managed to penetrate the barrier of the moon, Callista could see the despair and fear on his face.  
"Then we have to hurry," Callista said, as the group continued their sojourn through the jungle. For hours no one spoke, the only sounds the occasional howl of the jungle animals and the crunching of dead, fallen leaves and twigs on the ground. The scuffling sound of footsteps up ahead startled the group, and as a unit, they ground to a halt. Callista tensed, expecting a group of Kerash warriors to pop out from the trees and attack.   
"Did anyone else hear that?" she asked quietly, in a hushed whisper. Kieran nodded. "Trahman, Shekshke, come with me. Let's find out who it is."   
"I'm coming with you," Callista offered. Kieran offered her a surprised look.   
"But, Callista, are you sure that's--"   
"Don't argue with me!" she snapped, careful not to speak too loud, for fear of provoking their uninvited guests. "I can take care of myself." Kieran nodded, as if suddenly realizing that Callista was not a frail, helpless, woman, and didn't argue any further.   
Together, they, along with Trahman and a young woman named Shekshe, broke off from the main group and headed for the bushes straight ahead, where the footsteps had been heard. Callista heard another rustle, the sound of someone moving against a bush. More foosteps...it sounded like two, maybe three people at the most. Callista tightened her grip on the sword Kieran had given her earlier, ready for the worst. Next to her, she saw the other three do the same.   
Suddenly, without any warning, a group of shadow-concealed figures emerged from the bushes, wailing at the top of their lungs. Callista and her companions cried out in shock and stepped back, preparing to fight their enemies to the death, when Callista realized-- "Jacen? Jaina?"   
Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka ceased their screams, and they looked up at the four adults. Realization dawned on each of their faces. "Aunt Callista?" Jaina gasped.   
"We thought you were bad guys!" Jacen exclaimed.  
  
After another hour of walking, the group finally stopped and set up a camp in the jungle, allowing the rebels a few moments of much-needed rest before they went into battle.   
Overhead, the eclipse was close to completion, shutting out almost every last shred of sunlight left. Kieran had taken a small team of Kerash rebels with him into the depths of the jungle, looking for any of Armenia's warriors who might be searching for them. They would be back within moments, and by then, everyone would have to continue their journey again.   
This gave Callista the perfect opportunity to be with her niece and nephew again. The number of rebels totalled to around two or three hundred people, and Callista watched as they mingled with one another, their voices hushed whispers in the cold night. She could sense the tension floating in the air, as thick as a blanket. These people were not deluded about what was to come; they knew very well that their chances of surviving was slim to none, and yet they were still determined to carry on with their mission. Callista had to admire that.   
She sat around a small campfire with Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka. As they waited for Kieran's group to return, they exchanged stories about their recent adventures in the past few weeks. Callista listened with fascination- -and even a little amusement--as Jacen and Jaina reenacted their arrest in the Rimdarian System, while Callista told them about her fight with Armenia, Emna, Sonya, destroying Xizor's clones, and fighting Xizor on the _Fallen Moon_. She was careful to leave out any information about the purification ritual, Xizor's seduction over her, and Ben...   
Jacen and Jaina listened to her story with awe. "Wow!" Jacen gasped. "You actually kicked Xizor's sorry butt?"   
Callista nodded. "I gave him a beating he would never forget. It serves him right for what he tried to do to me." By the looks on their faces, she knew they wanted her to elaborate, but she decided to change the subject. "I just hope the Republic managed to thwart Black Sun's plans."   
Jaina scoffed. "Don't worry, Aunt Callista. Black Sun's made up of nothing more but a bunch of losers with too much free time on their hands. They don't stand a chance against the New Republic."   
"So," Callista said, "what brings you three children here?"   
Tenel Ka, who had remained silent for the most part, sharpening her ornamental dagger, piped up, "While on Dathomir, we were visited by the Force."   
Callista was taken aback by her answer. "Really?" she asked, recalling her own unexpected encounter with the living essence of the Force itself while in her trance.   
Jacen nodded. "Yeah. It was so cool! It told us stuff about the universe depending on us, and how we had to save it from evil. That's how we knew how to get here. The Force told us to go to Anasazi...so, we did."   
"Which brings up another question," Callista said. "Why did you two leave Coruscant in the first place? Your parents must be worried sick about you."   
Jacen and Jaina both exchanged guilty looks. "Um...they don't know that we're gone," Jacen finally admitted.   
"Yeah," Jaina added. "We left without telling anyone." When she noticed Callista's surprised expression, she hastily added, "But it was for a good cause. We were trying to save Hope and Annie. Were we wrong to do that?"   
Callista had no idea how the answer that. She, too, had left Coruscant to search for her missing daughter...and she had left without telling anyone. Except Luke, and she didn't even tell him where she was going. A new pang of guilt stabbed her as she thought of him, how worried he must have been right now. Instead of chiding the children for their rash behavior, Callista gathered the two in her arms and hugged them.   
"No, Jaina, you weren't," she said lovingly. "You both did what you thought was right. You wanted to help your family. That's never a wrong thing to do." She kissed Jaina's crown, and stroked her fingers through Jacen's hair. "I love you both so much."   
"Are you still mad at Mommy?" Jaina suddenly asked, gazing up at Callista with sad eyes. "I mean, you guys seemed pretty upset with each other when..." She trailed off, looking away from her, as if afraid to incur her wrath.   
Callista sighed, as she stroked Jaina's long brown hair. "No, I'm not mad at your Mommy," she said solemnly, the image of her slapping Leia in the MedCenter haunting her. "I was never mad at her. I was just...mad with myself."   
Jaina looked up at her, surprised. "Yourself?"   
Callista nodded. "For a long time, I blamed myself for losing Hope and Anakin. And...rather to talk about my feelings to the people I loved the most, I decided to take my anger out on them. It was a huge mistake, and I'm not proud of it at all." Her voice lowered, almost to a whisper. "I just hope your Mommy and Daddy can forgive me..."   
"Callista?" asked Jacen.   
Callista smiled down upon him. He looked so much like his father. "What is it, child?" "What's going to happen to Hope and Annie?" The question was so unexpected, and full of pain and sadness, so brutally honest, that Callista almost burst into tears. Kieran's words returned in her mind, telling her of the Ritual of the Coming. There was no way she could tell her nephew and niece that Hope and Anakin were going to...   
"I don't know, Jacen," she answered, brushing aside the little boy's tousled brown hair and kissing his forehead. "I don't know."   
"Nothing will happen to them, Jacen my friend," Tenel Ka suddenly said, the firelight shining in her granite-gray eyes. "For we will soon set them free from the hands of the Kerash. My husband will return safely, just wait and see."   
Callista smled at hearing Anakin referred to as Tenel Ka's "husband". A little humor was definitely welcome in a dire time as this. She heard Jacen and Jaina giggle as well. Tenel Ka looked at them, obviously not getting the joke.   
"Was it something I said?" she asked, matter-of-fact. Jacen piped up, "You know what? That reminds me of another joke--"   
Callista was prepared to groan in mock-misery at the mere mention of her nephew's adorable, but not-very-funny jokes, when Trahman headed over to them.   
"Someone's coming," he said in an urgent tone. Callista and the children exchanged worried looks, and she stood up, setting the twins back down. Together, she and Trahman headed over to a group of rebels, who were fully armed.   
"Who is it?" she asked.   
"We're not sure," Shekshke replied quietly. "But whoever it is, they're in for one hell of a surprise."   
"But it could be Kieran," Callista suggested.   
"Better safe than sorry," Trahman said, arming himself with two small, but lethal-looking, daggers. The sound of approaching footsteps silenced the group, and they stood as still as the dead, waiting. A figure burst into the camp. One glimpse at her told Callista that she was a friend.   
"Cray?" she gasped, unable to stop from smiling.   
The HRD looked around at the gathered warriors, perplexed. "Force, what is with me and being greeted by armed people? I swear, it's like a curse--"   
"What are you doing here?" asked Callista, lowering her sword. Slowly, one by one, the others did the same, realizing that this new arrival was not their enemy.   
Cray offered Callista a sly smile. "You'll never guess who I've brought back." She gestured toward two other people who joined her from the shadows. One was a woman Callista had never seen before, looking very much like the other Kerash. When she looked over at the second person--she didn't even need to look to recognize him--a gasp of shock and joy escaped her lips. _In the name of Chad, it can't be...   
_"Luke?"   
"Callista?"   
Callista and Luke stood there, eyes locked upon each other. It seemed like an eternity to her. For a long time, neither spoke. No one in the group spoke; all eyes were on them, as if worried that they were enemies rather than friends. Emotions played across Callista's face: surprise, joy, guilt...Images danced before her eyes: their last fight in the MedCenter, her slapping Leia, Luke's horrified expression...   
She saw Luke smile then, and all the tension went away in an instant. "Luke," was all she said, feeling tears start to slide down her cheeks. She had cried so much in the past few weeks, but this was the first time in a long time that she cried tears of happiness. "Luke, it's really you."   
"Callista," Luke said, and they fell upon each other in a tight embrace. The tears flowed more steadily now, as Callista wept on her husband's shoulder. All her fears melted away as she fell into Luke's strong arms.   
"Oh, by the Force, Luke. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She remained close to him, afraid that she would lose him again if she let go.   
"It's okay, Callista," Luke whispered in her ear, stroking her hair. "I'm here."   
"Uncle Luke!" Jacen and Jaina exclaimed, as they rushed to greet their uncle. They grabbed him happily by the legs, squealing with delight.   
"Jacen? Jaina?" Luke said, as he stared down at the two children in bewilderment. "What are you two doing here?"   
"It's a long story, believe me," Callista said, as she broke from their embrace. "So, you got my message?"   
Luke nodded gravely. "Leanna filled me in on the details." He gestured over to the white-skinned woman who had accompanied him and Cray. He then turned to face the Kerash rebels gathered around them, as if just noticing them for the first time. "Did we interrupt something?"   
Trahman shook his head. "Not at all."   
He looked from Luke to Callista. "You know each other?"   
Callista nodded, and smiled at Luke. "He's my husband, Trahman."   
Trahman and the others stepped back in shock, conversing with each other in the native language, as they gazed upon the Jedi Master. "You are the husband of the Fyorga?" he asked, a mix of awe and skepticism. "The Angel of Light?"   
Luke gave Callista a quizzical glance and mouthed, "Angel of Light?"   
Callista chuckled. "I'll explain later." She gestured to the rebels, who still regarded Luke with curiosity. "These people are on our side. We have to stop the Kerash from performing the Ritual of the Coming."   
Luke nodded. "Leanna told me about it. Something about bringing a goddess from another dimension into our world." His eyes scanned the dark jungle. "I can sense an evil on this planet. Something dark...and powerful..."   
"That's why we must stop them," Callista explained. "They already have the Bond they need to free Arak." Her voice lowered as she added, "Luke, they have Hope and Anakin."   
"What?"   
"Hope and Anakin are the Bond. That's why the Kerash kidnapped them in the first place. They share the connection needed to free Arak." Callista could see the panic start to spread across his face.   
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go; we don't have much time."   
Trahman stepped forth, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Calm yourself, sir. Our leader still has not returned yet from the jungle. We need him if we are to go up against the Kerash forces."   
"But my daughter!" Luke protested. "My nephew! They're--"   
"Luke," Callista said softly, wrapping her arm gently around his waist. "These people know what they're doing. We need to know what we're up against. If we go now without knowing how many warriors the Kerash have at their disposal, that'll only get us killed. We can't let that happen."   
Luke seemed to calm down a bit, and he nodded.  
"Kieran shall return momentarily," Trahman said, and he looked over at his companions. "Let us give the Fyorga and her husband some time alone."   
The rebels obeyed and dispersed to focus on their own tasks. Leanna and Cray followed suit, discussing something amongst themselves. Jacen and Jaina also left them alone, and returned to the campfire to talk with Tenel Ka. Now alone, Callista smiled at her husband. "I'm so glad you're here," she said.   
Luke nodded in reply. "And I am too, my love."   
"Are...Are Han and Leia..." Callista could not find the right words to choose from. "Are they still mad at me?" Again, she saw herself striking Leia across the face, the pain and horror in her eyes. It kept replaying, over and over again, refusing to leave her alone.   
Luke shook his head. "They're not. They're just worried about you. As was I." He kissed her on the forehead. Callista felt a cool, tingling sensation at the feel of his lips, a feeling that she relished. It was something she had not felt for a long time.   
"Callista, I was so terrified for you. I thought for sure that you had fallen to the dark side. We all did."   
Callista nodded, feeling another wave of tears. "I know. I'm so sorry, Luke. I don't know what came over me. I was just so frustrated, and helpless. I blamed myself for losing Hope..."   
"Don't say that, my love," Luke soothed, wiping the slithering tears from her cheeks with his fingers. "This was never your fault. Remember that. The only people to be blamed are the Kerash." He hugged her again, his arms wrapping around her back. "We'll get them back, Callista. Trust me."   
Callista smiled and nodded. "I know we will." A strange sense of peace flooded her, despite everything that was happening, that was going to happen. Somehow, being with Luke just made everything seem better.   
_You have to tell him, you know? You have to tell him sooner or later. About Xizor, and Ben...   
Yes, I know. And I will tell him, when I feel ready...   
_"Tell me what?" asked Luke, pulling away from her. Callista smiled, disguising the fear she felt, and shook her head. "Nothing, my love."   
That night, as the rebels awaited Kieran's return, they fell asleep together beside the campfire.  
  
It was almost time. Tsin, donning his finest ceremonial robes, stood in the center of the Main Hall, surrounded by a circle of hooded, humming priests. The only light came from the torches from the walls. Other than that, the chamber was as dark as a tomb. It was not last for long, however.   
A mound of human skeletons were mounted on the floor, in front of the altar. The bones would be used to light a great bonfire, signifying Arak's return from Raximidaj. Armenia would soon be here with the Bond. Kinshur, the Vessel, was already ready. Tsin looked over at the crippled boy, who had been nailed into the far wall, in a spread-eagled position, above the statue of Arak. Blood flowed from his punctured wrists and ankled, spilling onto the floor.   
The priests continued humming, while Tsin began the Kerash chant. Off to one side, a Kerash warrior pounded rhytmically on a pair of drums, sending a loud boom! boom! boom! through the chamber.   
"As it was written, the eclipse shall come. Darkness shall swallow the light. And the blood shall be drawn."   
The circle of priests slowly raised their hands into the air, their chanting growing louder, pointing up at the ceiling. Tsin's eyes went up at the ceiling, focusing on the center. "O Mighty Arak," he bellowed. "Hear our plea! Let the walls of Raximidaj be opened! Let the blood of the Vessel and the Bond be your doorway to freedom! Let your followers be rewarded...and your enemies be crushed under your mighty fist!"   
He raised his hands up at the ceiling, his eyes squeezed shut, summoning the powers of the ancient gods. In his mind's eye, he saw the eclipse, high above the temple ceiling.   
"Open!" he shouted, and the priests repeated his command. The ceiling began to move, opening up. It slid to the right, operated by a link of chains being pulled by dozens of slaves on the roof. The dark black sky was exposed, and Tsin saw Anasazi's largest moon, Fhedra, blocking the final bursts of light from the sun.   
"Darkness shall swallow the light," Tsin murmured. "And the blood shall be drawn." "Darkness shall swallow the light, repeated the priests, to the sound of the drums. "And the blood shall be drawn."   
"The doorway will open into Raximidaj," Tsin continued. "And Arak will be brought into our world."   
"The doorway will open into Raximidaj. And Arak will be brought into our world."   
Tsin looked up at the sky, and watched as the last pitiful vestiges of light from the sun was extinguished, hidden by the moon.   
The eclipse was complete.   
"It's time," Tsin said.  


*   


  
Callista's sleep was far from peaceful. As she drifted away into forgetful blackness, far away from the grim problems of reality, far away from the worries of the Kerash and Arak, she dreamed horrible nightmares...nightmares that felt so real that she was afraid she could never wake up.   
She was once again trapped in her room on the _Fallen Moon_. The guards were once again holding her down, forcing her still. Xizor was there, giving her that look--that look that set her emotions on fire. _Some rather...disturbing news has come to my attention. You...are with child. Is this true?_   
Callista strugged with all her might, but the Kerash guards were too strong. She tried to use the Force, but she was in too much of a panic to do anything. Her eyes kept focusing on their thin, sharp knives, and their target... Where her unborn child slept, unaware of what was going on outside its tiny home.   
_No...Please, no...it's happening again... I need to wake up...I need to wake up! No! Get off me! Leave me alone!_   
She tried to scream, but not a sound came out of her mouth. She tried kicking at the guards, but her limbs refused to move. She was frozen, a living statue, unable to do anything but watch as Xizor prepared to take her son's life once again.   
_If I am to marry you, do you really think that I want anything of Skywalker's left behind?   
Yes, _Callista thought hopefully._ This is when I'll wake up. Just when they're about to stab me, I'll wake up from this nightmare, and I'll be with Luke again. Everything will be okay--   
_But she did not wake up. She couldn't wake up. She was having this nightmare for a reason...and she knew why. _Luke...I have to tell him. I can't keep it from him forever..._   
One of the guards pointed the tip of his blade against Callista's belly, right where Ben slept. Callista watched with horror, wishing she could just wake up. But she knew that would not happen.   
_NO!_ She felt the knife enter her stomach, sending a current of fiery agony through her. She felt the blade cut through her flesh, pierce her womb, cut into her son's fragile form. She could hear her baby's tiny wail inside her head as its life slowly drained from its little body. Ben's screams mixed with her own, as she fell to her knees. The guards remained holding onto her arms, as the one with the knife shoved it even deeper into her gut. She looked down, and saw the blood. Flowing freely from her wound, spilling onto the carpeted white floor, staining it a dark red.   
Her blood...and Ben's.   
_I'm sorry, Ben. I didn't want it to end like this..._ As she felt her son's life drip away, she found herself huddled in a corner of the room. Xizor was gone, as were the two Kerash guards. She was all alone. Sobs racked her body, as she thought of the little boy that had been growing within her, now gone forever. She and Luke had decided a long time ago, on Hope's second life day, to name their son Ben. It had seemed fitting, but now...   
_How am I going to tell Luke? He'll never forgive me.  
_ "Callista?"   
She felt his hand touch her shoulder, his voice concerned. She turned, her face a mess of warm, salty tears, and looked into her husband's crystal- blue eyes.   
"He's gone," she whispered, her voice cracking.   
"Who's gone?" Luke asked. "Callista, what's wrong?"   
Callista wiped some tears away, and pulled her shirt up, exposing the fresh scar on her belly, where the knife had gone through. "Our son, Luke," she said sadly. "Our little Ben. Xizor...he took him."   
Luke looked at the scar with horror, then into Callista's eyes. Instead of anger and accusation--as she had thought--she saw concern. Concern for her, and for what had happened to her and Ben.   
"He killed our son?" Luke said, a slightly dangerous tone to his voice. For a brief moment, Callista was glad that Luke had not had a chance to meet Xizor face-to-face. "Callista---"   
Callista barely managed a nod, the memories returning again. "I'm sorry, Luke. I wanted to tell you...but I knew that if I did, you wouldn't allow me to leave Coruscant. But I had to. I had to save Hope--"   
Another image flashed in her mind: of her standing with Xizor in the hangar bay of the _Fallen Moon_, locked in a passionate embrace. She felt his allure wash over her, quelling her resistance, forcing her to give herself to him. She felt his lips lock with hers, felt his black tongue enter her mouth...  
And she felt a moment of pleasure.   
"Callista..."   
There was hurt and betrayal in his voice now. Luke had seen the vision as well. He backed away from Callista, horrified that his wife, the woman he had been married to for four years, would do such a thing.   
"Luke, I'm sorry," Callista said, quickly standing up. "I didn't mean to. I swear--"   
"It's not true," Luke said, shaking his head, as if that would make the vision go away. "You're lying. You would never do such a thing." The room began to change shape, and Callista found herself in Xizor's room on the _Fallen Moon_.   
She was naked, and lying in the Falleen's bed...along with Xizor himself. Callista gasped as everything came back to her. She remembered what had happened just after her son had been murdered. Xizor had returned, using her pheromones on her, weakening her resolve. What had followed afterwards...   
She heard moaning, and she realized that it was herself doing it. She looked down, and saw that she was sitting on top of Xizor, who gazed up at her in awe as he brought his head up and kissed her. Callista returned the kiss, murmuring, "I love you, Xizor," she said, pressing her hands against his bare, muscular chest. Another moan of pleasure escaped her lips.   
She turned, and saw Luke standing in the room, watching the display with shock and disgust. "By the Force," he said in a low voice. His eyes met Callista's, and for the first time, she saw anger in them. "Callista, how dare you!"   
Without another word, he turned and left the room. "Luke, wait!" Callista pleaded, and the room changed again. Now, she was standing in their own room, in the Great Temple on Yavin 4, fully clothed. Luke's back was turned to her, unmoving.   
"Luke, please, will you listen to me?" Callista begged. Luke rounded on her, accusation in his voice. "I can't believe what you did. You slept with the man who killed our son!" She looked into his eyes, and saw that he was crying. "Callista...I trusted you more than anyone in my life. And now...this happened."   
"Luke, please, it wasn't like that," Callista said. "I tried to resist him, I really did. But he had me under his thrall. It was like I was drugged. He did it to Leia, too. You know this!" Her voice softened, as she tried to reason with her husband. The man she truly loved. "Luke, I love you more than anything. I would never--"   
"But you did!" Luke shouted. He reached over and snatched a datapad lying on his desk, and threw it as hard as he could against the wall, causing it to shatter into several tiny pieces.   
The room grew silent after that. Luke's anger subsided. Callista could sense his turmoil. He knew she was telling the truth; it was his pride that prevented him from forgiving her. She had slept with another man, whether intentional or not, and it had devastated Luke. Callista reached over and clasped his shoulder. "Luke, there was nothing I could do.I couldn't resist. The entire time I was...screaming, inside, trying to stop myself. But...I couldn't. Please, Luke, I love you. You have to believe me."   
Luke's hand went up to her hand, and she felt his fingers wrap around hers. He looked at her, the anger now gone from his face. "I know," he whispered. "And I love you, Callista. I will always love you. No matter what." He nodded resolutely, as he gripped her hands. No one will ever know. We'll never speak of it again. He looked at her, his eyes clear. It never happened.   
"Luke, I'm sorry. For Xizor, and Ben, and for everything that's happened. She leaned against his shoulder, trying to melt inside him, where she would be safe. I just want everything to be back to normal again."   
"Shh...it will be, soon," Luke said softly.   
For a moment, neither spoke. Their connection, having undergone a severe strain ever since Hope's kidnapping, returned full force, stronger and more reunited than ever.   
"Callista! Callista! Wake up!"   
Callista opened her eyes slowly, and found herself back in the Kerash rebel camp. Luke woke up seconds after her.   
"What is it?" she asked, looking up at Kieran.   
"You have to get up," Kieran insisted urgently. "The eclipse is complete. The Kerash have begun the ritual."   
As Callista rubbed her eyes, she saw the rebels already packing up, ready to continue their journey. Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka clung close to Callista and Luke, dreading the battle that was to come. Cray went over to join them, along with Leanna Kai, who was armed with a nasty flame-thrower.   
"Time to kick some Kerash ass," Cray said. "I am really looking forward to this."   
"As am I," Leanna added, charging up her powerful weapon.   
"How far is it to the temple?" asked Callista.   
"Not very far," Kieran replied. "If we leave now, we should be there in ten minutes." Callista and Luke stood. They clasped hands, reconciling everything that had happened in their dream, and armed themselves. Luke had his lightsaber in hand, while Callista retrieved her sword. She turned to face Kieran. "It's time to see if the Force was right after all," she said. "I'll do everything in my power to stop the Kerash. Hopefully, that will be enough." Kieran nodded, and addressed everyone gathered in the area, making his voice loud enough for all to hear. "The time has come, my friends! Arak must never be allowed free reign. I wish everyone the best of luck in the battle. All Kerash who stand against us must die. Show no mercy!"   
The group set off for the Temple of Arak, with Luke, Callista, and Kieran leading the way, each person carrying the knowledge that not all of them would survive.


	19. The Ritual

Chapter 19  
  
As Hope entered the Main Hall, just a few seconds behind Anakin, and with Armenia holding her by the arm, she gaped at the display in the chamber with horror. All the Kerash priests had gathered for the ritual, forming a circle around a huge pile of human bones, muttering incoherent chants. Tsin stood in the center, raising his hands into the sky, toward the ceiling, which was now open, displaying the finished eclipse in all its glory.   
The sight of the bones sent a feeling or revulsion through Hope's throat. How could anyone commit such horrible atrocities to innocent people, and use their bones as a part of their crazy ritual? She looked up at Armenia, who nodded with satisfaction, and gazed down at Hope with frightening, hungry eyes.   
"The ritual is starting, little one," she said. "I will try to make it as painless for you as possible."   
Hope glared to the woman, wishing Armenia nothing more than a slow, agonizing death.   
On the far end of the chamber, she saw Kinshur, the teenage boy she had tried without much success to talk to earlier, nailed into the wall. She cringed when she saw the nails embedded in his wrists and ankles, keeping him pinned to the limestone walls. He seemed to be in great pain, his eyes almost squeezed entirely shut. Blood ran down his wounds, dripping aimlessly to the marbled floor.   
Tsin looked up and smiled at Armenia. "Ah, you have arrived," he said, walking over to them. He smiled kindly down at Hope and patted her head. If it wasn't for the fact that he was planning to kill her, Hope would have liked it. "Are you prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of the Great Arak, little one?"   
Hope furiously shook her head. "I don't think so!" she protested. "You and your stupid god can rot in the dark side forever, for all I care!"   
Rather than become angry, the High Priest smiled even more. "I like you, young Skywalker," he said softly. "Too bad you'll have to die when we draw your blood. Otherwise, we could have become the best of friends." As Tsin spoke, he drew out a long, curved dagger from his black-red robe. It was almost a foot in length, and extremely sharp. Hope winced as the thought of having someone cut into her with a knife like that. Tsin must have seen her reaction, for her said, "We'll make it quick, don't worry." He said that as if it would make Hope feel better...but she didn't.   
He looked up at Armenia. "Chain them up," he commanded.   
Armenia nodded, and dragged Hope over to a set of chains connected to the west wall. As she struggled fruitlessly, she saw Anakin being led to the wall opposite of her. _Annie!_ she thought-shouted, sending a single thought out to her cousin.   
_It'll be okay, Hope_, she heard him reply through the Force, and she thanked the Maker several times over that the Kerash weren't Force-sensitive. _Be brave. Don't show these people your fear. Don't give them the satisfaction.   
I'm...I'm just so scared,_ Hope thought, as Armenia clamped the chains on her wrists. Hope tried to move her arms, but the chains held them tightly in place. _I don't wanna die._ Anakin remained silent for a moment, as a pair of Kerash guards chained him to the wall. He looked over at Hope with small, helpless eyes. _Me neither_, he finally said.   
As the circle of priests continued humming, Tsin stood atop the dais, in front of the altar. "We must now begin the Ritual of the Coming!" he said, a torch held in his hand. He raised it high into the air. "After thousands of years of waiting, our day of triumph has finally come. The portal will finally be opened, and Arak will return to lead us to victory!"   
"Arak!" the Kerash chanted. Armenia and her warriors raised their staffs in the air, while the circle of priests brought their hands up, dancing slowly to the beating of the dums. "Arak! Arak! Arak! Arak! Arak!"   
"As it was written in the scrolls, so it shall be done," Tsin continued, his voice reverberating in the room, sending a shiver down Hope's spine. The High Priest gestured toward the mountain of bones with his torch. "O Mighty Arak, let the bones of the Unknowing be our gift to you! Let the flames consume their spirits!"  
With that, he threw his torch into the mound, causing the bones to catch on fire within seconds. The priests, all of them cloaked in black, grew louder, performing a ritual dance that included spinning around and throwing their hands into the air. In their native tongue, they spoke the prayers of Arak.   
Hope watched the terrifying display, unable to describe the fear she felt._ Here it comes..._ she thought, focusing her eyes on Tsin's dagger.   
"And now," Tsin said, as one of the priests broke away from the circle, heading up the steps. "The blood of the Vessel shall be drawn." He handed the knife to the black-hooded priest, who sauntered over to Kinshur, who seemed on the verge of losing consciousness due to the loss of blood. The priest--Hope couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman--raised the blade up to the young man's stomach.   
"For Arak!" Kinshur suddenly shouted, his voice rising above even the chanting of the priests. "May the Goddess rule over all!" The priest jabbed the blade into his abdomen, drawing a gasp of ecstasy from the young boy's mouth. Instantly, blood spurted free, splattering the priest's black robes and onto the floor. Hope turned her head and closed her eyes, unwilling to witness the onslaught. _Please let it be over soon, _she begged._ Please...Please...Please...   
_Tsin went up to Kinshur, holding a small gold-carved bowl in his hands. He placed it just under the boy's stomach, and the blood pumped into the bowl.   
"The blood of the Vessel," he whispered. "The blood of the Vessel has been drawn!"   
"Praise the Mighty Arak!" Armenia shouted, and the Kerash echoed her sentiments. "Now, the blood of the Bond must be taken," Tsin said, looking over his shoulder toward the priest with the blade. Then his eyes went over to Anakin, who watched the ritual with wide, frightened eyes. "Start with the boy."  
  
Callista, Luke, and the Kerash rebels continued their sprint through the jungle, drawing closer and closer to the Temple of Arak. Already, Callista could it in the distance, rising high above even the twisted gnarltrees, like a beacon. The minutes slowly dripped away. _We're running out of time_, Callista thought, very close to panic. _By the time we get there, we'll be too late...  
_"How far now?" Callista asked breathlessly.   
"Almost there," Kieran replied. "There's about a dozen or so guards at the entrance gate. They'll be well-armed. If we're going to take them out, we have to attack from the trees...where they can't see us."   
Luke nodded in agreement. "Callista and I can cloak our presence with the Force. The Kerash won't be able to see us, even if we're standing right in front of them."   
Kieran gave Luke an amazed glance. "You really have the power to do such a thing?"   
Callista smiled. "Of course I do. I'm the Angel of Light, remember?"   
As they approached the temple, Callista could feel her daughter's presence, as well as Anakin's. They were scared--no, terrified, she realized. And yet, they were still hopeful for a rescue. _Hang on, Hope,_ she thought. _We're coming...   
_It was then that Callista felt a cold stabbing in her heart, as painful as when the Kerash had planted the blade into her stomach, killing her son. It was a disturbance in the Force, warning her of a dark, malevolent presence nearby. A very familiar presence...   
And she knew exactly who it was.   
"By the Force," she whispered. "No..."  
  
Llia burst through the double-doors of the Main Hall, just as the Kerash began the ritual. She first saw a large bonfire blazing in the center of the chamber, then Armenia, then Tsin, then Kinshur. And then...   
"Hope!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Anakin!"   
One of the Kerash priests had Anakin by the arm, while another slashed deep into his hand with a dagger. Llia saw the blood, saw it streaming down his skin, and into a small golden bowl. The little boy was screaming in agony, as the blade dug into his flesh.   
"Leave him alone!" Hope shouted. "Get away from him!"   
"Hope!" Llia exclaimed again, rushing over to the little girl.   
Armenia heard her, and she turned to face Llia, furious. "What are you doing here?" she snapped. "Guards, stop her! Don't let her anywhere near the Bond!" Llia ignored her and continued running. She was just within arm's reach of Hope, who looked at her in surprise. Llia opened her mouth to tell her that everything would be fine now, that she was going to get her and Anakin out of here--   
--and screamed as a pair of hands grabbed her from the left, nearly wrenching her arm out of its socket. Pulled her away from Hope, shoved her brutally against the wall.   
"Llia!" Hope yelled. "You leave her alone!" She struggled against her chains, but they remained bolted into the wall. As Llia screamed and kicked at the Kerash holding her, Armenia stood in front of her, far from pleased.   
"You selfish little brat, when will you ever learn?"   
Without warning, Llia spat in Armenia's face. She watched as the yellowish- brown spittle dripped down her cousin's chin, and saw Armenia recoil in surprise. Although she knew that she had made a huge mistake, she allowed herself to feel good about it for a few precious seconds.   
"I hate you!" Llia hissed, glaring at her in contempt. And she meant every word she said.   
Armenia wiped the spittle away, and smiled. "Really? I've never liked you, either. Too much like your sister." She punched her in the face, and Llia's vision went black...  
  
Hope watched as Armenia struck Llia down. Furious, she gnashed her teeth and pulled against the chains.   
"Leave her alone!" she shouted. _Just give me a few minutes alone with Armenia. Just a few minutes, and I'll make her wish she had never been born.._.   
A shadow loomed over her, and she looked up to see the priest with the knife standing before her, ready to draw her blood. "Now, the blood of the Bond must be complete," Tsin announced from the dais. "The blood of the Sacred Three must be brought together, to open the portal."   
He offered a nod to the Kerash priest. "Do it."   
Hope shrieked and tried to back away, but the priest was too fast for her. The priest grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her against the wall with incredible strength, taking her breath away. She looked up at the person's hidden face with tear-stricken eyes. "Please, don't do this..."   
The priest pressed the tip of the blade against the palm of Hope's left hand. Hope braced herself, expecting the pain to begin--   
--and watched as the priest, rather than cut her, pulled back the face- covering hood. The first thing Hope saw was a mass of thick brown hair, looking so much like her mother's... And when she looked into her face, she understood. A cold, paralyzing terror struck her body, unlike any she had experienced before. One look into the priest's cold gray eyes told her who this person was. She had never known her, had never seen her until now, but one look into those eyes, that all-too-familiar face, she knew.   
"Oh, Force..." Hope whimpered, every bone in her body turning to water.   
"Hello, Hope," Kara said, as she prepared to stick the blade into her hand. "At last, She has come..."   
  
Callista hadn't realized that she had stopped running. She stood in the midst of the gnarltrees, frozen in place, her mind not even beginning to register the shock she felt.   
_I can't believe it, _she thought. _How can she...   
_"Callista?" Luke turned and saw that she was no longer running with them. He stopped and went over to his wife's side. "Callista, what's wrong? Did you feel something-"   
"Kara's here," Callista cut in. Her voice was utterly cold.   
Luke's eyes widened. "What? Are...Are you sure about that? How can Kara be here? She's dead. We killed her over three years ago."   
Callista sighed. She had forgotten to tell Luke about Kara's connection to the Kerash. "Kara came to me on Coruscant, Luke," she explained. "She told me everything. That strange temple we found on Yavin 4, where we first met Kara...that temple was built by the Kerash."   
Luke's face crumbled. "That temple was Kerash?"   
Callista nodded, knowing how he felt. "There's more...but I don't know how I'm going to tell you this." She swallowed, her mind reflecting on Kara's words in her apartment. "Kara's the reason I got my powers back."   
Luke remained silent for several minutes, the horror touchable on his face. He tried to say something, but it came out as a tiny squeak. Callista saw his knees buckle, and she reached out to hold him so that he wouldn't fall. Luke looked into her eyes, and managed a weak chuckle.   
"Great. Any more surprises?"   
Callista shook her head, and smiled. "No. Not for now."   
It was a lie, and they both knew it. But Callista kept to herself, unwilling to share the last bit of information about Kara, that if she killed her firstborn daughter, her connection to the Force would be destroyed forever, unable to be recovered.   
_You will be blind to it once again, will lose the special bond..._   
Callista looked at Luke, into his beautiful blue eyes. She felt sorry for him. Her husband had just learned of the death of a son he had never known, learned of an evil man who had seduced and made love to his wife, and now this. If she told him that killing Kara meant losing her Force powers, he would fall apart.   
So she remained silent.   
This much she could bear alone, at least for now.  
Luke finally managed to straighten himself up, and he nodded at Callista. They both knew that she was keeping something else from him, and he could have probed her mind forcibly to see what it was...but he didn't. Luke loved his wife, and he would never force her to tell him things she didn't want to.   
"Why is Kara here?" he asked. "What does she have to do with the Kerash?"   
All Callista could offer him was a shrug. "I'm not sure. But whatever it is, it isn't good." Luke bit his lower lip. "Then we have to stop her. No matter what the consequences."   
Callista shuddered, but she nodded in agreement. "Yes. No matter what the consequences..." Without another word, they rejoined the Kerash rebels. It took them a few minutes, but they finally reached them. The rebels hid behind the last row of trees, their black robes shrouding themselves in the darkness. Callista joined up with Kieran, Trahman, Shekshke, and the kids.   
"So, how many of them?" she asked.   
"At least twenty or thirty," Kieran observed. "All armed." Callista risked a peek from behind her protection, and saw the temple in all its glory, marveling at its size and beauty. She saw the front gate, and around two dozen Kerash guards, as well as the priest Gershon--Callista remembered him in the attack in Semaj--speaking amongst themselves outside the gate, apparently unaware of the visitors they were about to receive.   
"Our archers will fire at them from the top of the trees," Kieran whispered, careful not to speak too loud. "We'll probably kill at least a third of the Kerash before they find us. And then, we'll no longer have surprise on our side."   
"I can cloak your archers with the Force," Luke said. "Even if the Kerash have torches, they won't be able to see them."   
Kieran nodded. "Thank you, sir." He turned to Callista. "Are you ready for this, Fyorga?"   
Callista gave Kieran a confident grin. "These people have my daughter. I'd walk through the fires of Eol Sha if it meant getting her back." She looked down at Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka, who were watching the rebels with wide, excited eyes. Callista knelt before them, grabbing Jaina by the shoulders. "Okay, kids, I need you to listen to me. Luke and I need your help."   
"Are we gonna get to fight?" Jacen asked, jumping up and down with glee. "I wanna fight, I wanna fight!"   
"Keep it down, dork!" Jaina snapped. "Do you want the Kerash to see us?"   
Callista smiled. They were not at all afraid, just excited to be helping in a battle. Typical of the Solo family.   
"We need to catch the Kerash off-guard. When I tell you to, I want you three to combine your powers, and knock the guards off their feet. That way, it'll give the archers and advantage, and they'll be able to take them down."   
Tenel Ka nodded. "We will perform to the best of our ability, Lady Skywalker," she said gruffly. "And after that," Callista continued, "I want all three of you to hide in the forest and stay there. Don't come out at all. Two children are already in danger. I don't want to have to worry about saving you three as well."   
"Awwww," Jacen groaned. "But I want to help. I want to see Annie and Hope again. We're Jedi, Aunt Callista. We can take care of ourselves."  
"I know you can," Callista whispered. "You're all very brave children, and you'll all grow up to be wonderful Jedi Knights. But I don't want any of you to get hurt. Or..." Callista couldn't bring herself to say "killed.   
"Please promise me that you'll hide in the forest."   
"We promise, Aunt Callista," Jacen and Jaina said. Callista nodded, not noticing that the twins had crossed their fingers behind their backs. "We'll come back for you when the battle's over. And then you can see Hope and Anakin again." She gathered the three children in a tight hug. "May the Force be with you, little ones."   
"Be careful, Aunt Callista," whispered Jaina.   
"I will, Jaina," she said, as she let go. "I promise."   
"It is almost time," Kieran said. "Archers, assume your positions."   
Without a sound, over a dozen robed rebels, all armed with longbows and a good supply of arrows, began climbing up the tall gnarltrees, shielded by the thick greenish-brown leaves and branches. Shekshke, the lead archer, accompanied them, climbing up the tree Callista, Luke, and Kieran were hiding behind. None of them made a single sound; Callista had to admire their stealth.   
The Kerash guards continued their conversations, oblivious to the rebels. Callista smiled inwardly. _Be ready for a big surprise, you sick, twisted bastards..._   
As she waited for the archers, she stretched out toward the temple with her mind. She could feel the thoughts of the Kerash inside, all anticipating the coming of their goddess. And she felt Hope and Anakin, both terrified and exhausted, but still clinging to a last shred of hope, that someone would come to save them. But no sign of Kara. Callista gritted her teeth. _Come on, Kara. I know you're here somewhere. Where the hell are you...?_   
She felt Luke clasp her hand, and she looked over at him, loving the closeness of him. She had missed that for so long.   
"We're ready, Kieran," Shekshke whispered from above. Callista looked up, but she could not see the young woman anywhere. She was hidden very well.  
"Okay," Kieran said. He closed his eyes and said a quick prayer. "O Mighty Sheherhera, let our battle end with victory." He opened his eyes and turned to Callista. "Your move."   
Callista nodded and looked over at the kids, who had taken shelter behind a thick bush. "Are you ready, kids?"   
"Almost," Jaina said. She could feel the three children joining together in mind and spirit, each drawing upon the Force, and combining it into one large, powerful ball of invisible energy. She could also hear their thoughts, as they whispered orders at each other.   
_Okay, guys,_ Jaina thought. _I'm ready.   
Are you? Ready, _Tenel Ka said, clasping Jaina's hand in her own. _I feel so much power coursing through me, almost too much for me to bear...   
Yeah, me too,_ Jaina replied. _Jacen, are you ready...Jacen? Yeah, almost. Just give me a few minutes. Wow, this feels so cool...   
JACEN!!!! _the two girls thought-shouted.   
_All right, all right, I'm ready._   
Callista stifled a chuckle. Even in the worst of circumstances, these children still had the ability to make her laugh. It was one of the reasons why she loved them so very much. She took a deep breath, and let it out. _Well, here we go...   
_"Now!"   
The Kerash stopped talking, startled by her voice--   
--and they all went flying through the air, in all directions, as the Force smashed through them like a powerful wind, driving them to the ground. Gershon shrieked as he flew off his feet and slammed against the wooden bars of the entrance gate, snapping through several of them as he fell. Within seconds, all thirty Kerash were lying on the ground in stunned positions.   
"Archers!" Kieran shouted. "Now, while they're weak!"   
Slowly, the Kerash guards began to stand up, still disoriented by the unexpected attack. The rebels began howling at the top of their lungs, sounding like a pack of wolves about to pounce on a group of helpless rabbits. Several lifted their weapons into the air, while others banged them loudly against the tree trunks. Luke and Callista joined in on the screaming, amplifying their voices with the Force, carrying it across the jungle. The guards looked around in fear and confusion, but they couldn't see the rebels. Callista could feel their terror; several of them wanted to run away, but the leader of the guards barked orders at them, forcing them to stay.   
"Cowards!" the leader shouted, still on the ground. He began to rise to his feet, groaning in pain. "It's probably just a pack of Posla tigers. There's nothing to worry about!" "But what was that strange power that hit us?" one of the Kerash asked.   
"Maybe it was the wind," another suggested.   
"Fire!" Kieran suddenly bellowed, further startling the Kerash guards. Shekshke fired the fist shot, her arrow hitting the leader of the guards squarely in the back. The Kerash fell facedown without even uttering a sound. Most of the Kerash didn't even notice, for neither the arrow nor the guard had made a single sound. Another rebel fired from the treetops. Gershon, having just stood up, straightening his red-black-gold robe, gasped as the arrow slid straight into his mouth, coming out through the back of his head. Blood spurted uncontrollably, staining his robes, as Gershon collapsed to his knees, making dying, gurgling noises in his throat. Several of the Kerash turned to him in shock.   
"We're under attack!" one of them shouted. Without warning, the rebels all began firing at once. Arrows poured from the trees--as if the trees themselves were attacking the Kerash. They penetrated the cold night air, striking several more Kerash down, who fell in a tangle of limbs and black robes.  
"They're coming from the trees!" a guard shouted, pointing.   
"Get the torches!" another said, just before an arrow caught him in the ribs. He went down, straining to pull the arrow free, groaning in pain. Three Kerash retrieved several torches from their mantles on the front gate. The rebels targeted them, killing one and injuring another. The remaining one began supplying the others with torches, and they headed out toward the borderline of the jungle, shining the trees with the orange light.   
"Luke, your cue!" Callista whispered. Luke nodded, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate. His influence stretched out to every last rebel hidden in the trees. Once he had them all in his grasp, he summoned the Force to cloak them, preventing the Kerash from seeing them. Then he focused on eveyone else, including Callista and the kids. In a matter of moments, the entire group was shrouded in invisibility--just as the Kerash came with their torches. They shined the light upon the rebels, but it displayed only the trees and bushes. One even stood face-to-face with Callista, the torchlight illuminating her face, and he couldn't see her. She stared at him impassively, not breathing, not moving. It would have almost been amusing, had the events not been as life-threatening.   
"I don't see anyone," one of the Kerash said, just as he bumped into one of the invisible rebels, falling down flat on his face.   
"Are you okay?" asked the one near Callista.   
"Yeah," he groaned, rubbing his arm as he stood up. "I bumped into something..." The archers continued firing. The one in front of Callista screamed as two arrows hit him in the back, and another in the knee. He fell, and was silenced by an arrow that passed through his left eye.   
"Someone is attacking us!" his companion shouted, looking around crazily with his torch, but he still couldn't see the rebels.   
"But, who?" demanded another. "And where in the name of Arak are they?"   
"You watch your language!" the other snapped. "Do not take Arak's name in vain!" He watched as two more Kerash died with arrows sticking out of their robes.   
"Someone's attacking, but we just can't see them! They're using some kind of magic trick, making themselves invisible."   
Beside Callista, Luke groaned as he continued concentrating, sweat running down his face. _I can't keep it up for long. I'm starting to slip... _Callista gripped his hand, adding her own power to his.   
The rebels kept firing from above, hidden by the combined powers of Luke and Callista.  
"Call for reinforcements!" the lead Kerash ordered. "And tell Armenia about this immediately!"   
At that moment, Luke's eyes snapped open, his body shuddering at the immense amount of power that had been sapped out of them...and the cloaking blanket had been let out. Callista dropped to one knee beside him, catching her breath.  
The Kerash leader's eyes bulged out of their sockets as he laid eyes upon the rebels that had just moments ago not been there, and suddenly appeared. "The rebels!" he gasped. "They were attacking us. Kerash, ATTACK!"   
The words had barely escaped his mouth before Callista strode forth with her sword, brought it smacking against his jaw--causing a loud crack--and spine. The leader fell. His five companions backed away in shock, aghast at the sudden apperance of the rebels. For a long moment, both sides locked eyes upon each other, unmoving. Then the rebels came charging forth. The Kerash didn't stand a chance as they were mauled to death by the sea of rebels. Once they were on the ground, dead and mutilated beyond recognition, the rebels advanced toward the gate. The element of surprise was gone. They now had to rely on pure brute force.   
"Kids!" Callista shouted. "I need you to go, now!"   
Without arguing, Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka took off deeper into the jungle, where they would be safe from the fighting. By then, the Kerash had received reinforcements. A row of archers stood behind the safety of the gate, aiming their longbows at the rebels as they began overwhelming the last remaining guards outside the temple.   
A flurry of arrows left their bows and soared through the spaces between the gate's wooden bars, plunging into the ocean of Kerash rebels. One went down with an arrow stuck in his ribs, another in the throat. Trahman screamed as one pierced him in the left heel, and he dropped to one knee, clutching the arrow in pain.   
"Trahman!" Callista shouted, as she ran to his aid. As one Kerash prepared to brain him with a sledgehammer, Callista struck with her sword--it felt odd having to fight without her lightsaber--and disarmed him. A second slash hit him in the ribs, and his robe became red with blood.   
As he screamed, Callista slashed him again in the same area, then in the knee, taking the lower portion of his leg completely off. The Kerash dropped to the ground, and Callista brought the blade of the sword down, leaving his face a bloodied mess. A few droplets of blood splattered Callista's face.   
It barely registered.   
She knelt down to check Trahman's wound. "Are you okay?" she asked.   
"I just got shot in the kriffin' foot, how do you think I feel?" Trahman said through his clenched teeth, squeezing his eyes shut as he moaned in pain. "I'll be okay. Don't worry about me."   
"Are you sure?"   
Trahman looked into her eyes, and she saw his resolve and determination. "It'll take a lot more than an arrow in the foot to slow me down," he said. Callista nodded, and helped him back up, and they rejoined the fighting.   
The Kerash archers continued the slaughter, hitting both rebel fighters and even their own allies; some even began focusing on the trees, where the rebel archers continued attacking. One archer cried out as one of the arrows struck home; he plummeted from his hiding spot and hit the ground. By now, the remaining Kerash guards outside the gate were dead, but more kept coming.   
The rebels were taken by surprise as another wave of Kerash erupted from the forest--most likely a search party, and having returned to the temple after an unsuccessful attempt to find the rebels--and attacked like rabid rancors. Callista used the Force as often as she could while fighting, knocking aside arrows that were targeted at the rebels, and causing them to hit the enemy instead. But the onslaught continued, and more rebels continued to fall. One right next to Callista died as an arrow plunged into his heart, causing Callista to almost fall down him. An old man gasped as an arrow hit him in the back of the neck, and he collapsed upon two corpses of his fellow comrades.   
_The archers_, Callista thought, and looked over at Luke. _Luke, we have to take out the archers.   
_Luke turned and saw the Kerash archers on the other side of the gate, mercilessly butchering the rebel combatants with their arrows. Then he looked at Callista, and nodded in agreement. _Let's do it_.   
Together, they pushed through the wave of fighters and toward the front gate.  
  
At first, Hope felt no pain. She was still paralyzed with shock, at seeing the face of the sister she had never known--the sister her mother refused to ever talk about. But Hope had known. She had known about Kara from the moment she was born on Dathomir. She could still remember seeing Kara in her dreams while sleeping in her mother's womb, taunting her, and threatening her. _I will see you soon, little sister_, she had said. _And I'll even bring you some presents. Pain, misery, and death...   
_But as the shock began to wear off, Hope felt the pain. Small at first, then becoming larger and more painful as Kara pierced her hand with the sharp knife. Hope started to scream, and Kara only smiled, relishing the sound She felt warm blood pour from her cut, sliding over her hand, and spilling into the golden bowl Tsin held in his hands, mixing in with the blood of Kinshur's and Anakin's. But Hope barely noticed. She kept staring into Kara's eyes, those dark gray irises that looked so much like her mother's, the wavy brown hair, the pale skin.   
She looked so much like Mommy, it was almost scary...   
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Kara said, as Tsin stepped away from them. "This is exactly how I feel right now when I look at you. When I see you, I see a spoiled little brat who has a mother who loves her and abandoned her firstborn. She forgot all about me when I was born, and now she has you, and she treats you like her little princess." There was so much hate and pain in her voice, Hope almost sympathized with her. She wondered what had happened between her and Mommy to make Kara so angry.   
"I was betrayed," Kara continued, digging the knife even deeper into her flesh. Pain shot through Hope's arm, and into her chest. "Like a knife's being plunged into my gut." She looked down at Hope, the slightest hint of insanity shining in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how I feel?"   
Hope couldn't answer. She had somehow lost her voice, and she couldn't speak, so terrified she was. From her left eye, she could see Tsin heading over to Kinshur's crucified form, the bowl of blood still in his hands.   
Kara scoffed at her. "Of course you don't," she snapped. "You never had to live out on the streets as a child, lost and alone and confused. You never had to steal food just to live for another day."   
As she spoke, her voice grew higher and angrier, and Hope could see the first faint signs of tears pooling in her eyes. "Your mother loves you! She never loved me. Ever!" As she spat out, "Ever!", she withdrew the knife from Hope's hand so hard that more blood spurted out. Hope screamed as agony burned her entire body, collapsing to her knees. She had never felt so much pain in her life. She began to cry, wishing her Mommy was here to hold her and tell her it would be all right.   
Kara chuckled in amusement. "Awwww, does the poor baby want her Mommy?" She grabbed a handful of Hope's messy hair and yanked upward, forcing her back to her feet. The pain was tremendous, but not nearly as bad as her bleeding hand.   
"Do I scare you, Hope? Are you afraid of your big, mean old sister?"   
Through the tears, Hope nodded. "It...It hurts," she sobbed. "P-P- Please..."   
"Oh, lighten up," Kara snapped. "It's only a little blood. You'll live. Not for much longer, though."   
"The blood of the Sacred Three has now been drawn," Tsin announced, standing upon the dais once again. "The blood is now one. The Vessel must consume the blood, to open the portal."   
Kinshur let out a pained moan, and gasped, "For Arak!"   
"ARAK!!!" thundered the Kerash, including Kara, almost causing Hope to go deaf. She looked over at Llia and Anakin, who seemed just as frightened as she was.   
"And now, the moment of Arak's arrival shall be completed," Tsin said, turning back to Kinshur, holding the golden bowl just over his mouth. "Drink." He poured the blood. Kinshur's mouth opened, just as the first few droplets spilled onto his cracked lips. Seconds later, the rest followed. Some of it got into his mouth, but most of it didn't, instead hitting his ragged clothes and dry, scarred. The young boy began gasping, as if he was choking on the blood, his body going completely rigid. The Kerash began to cheer, chanting Arak's name over and over again. Kara joined in, raising her blood-covered knife into the air.   
Suddenly, the doors to the Main Hall opened. Everyone turned to see one of the Kerash guards burst into the chamber, a terrified look on his face. "The rebels!" he said as he took in several deep breaths. "They're attacking us outside...hundreds of them!"   
The chanting quickly changed into shocked gasps and murmurs of anger. Armenia, now holding Llia by the arms, spoke up, "We must stop them immediately! They must not interfere with the Coming!"   
Tsin nodded, and Hope watched as the Kerash warriors, save for the circle of priests, marched out of the Main Hall to engage their newly-arrived opponents. Armenia led the way, dragging Llia behind her. The little girl struggled and flashed one last look at Hope before she was taken away. Hope felt a sudden surge of relief. Rescue had at last arrived. Maybe Mommy and Daddy were with them...   
Her relief suddenly changed into fear again when she looked up at Kara, who didn't seem to be accompanying them.   
"You know," her older sister said, fiddling with her knife, "now that your blood has been drawn, the Kerash no longer need you. So..." She sauntered over to the large bonfire in the center of the chamber, and plunged the blade of the knife into the hungry red flames. Hope gasped as she pulled it out seconds later, the blade now glowing a burning hot red. She gasped, knowing what her sister was intending to do. Kara smiled--a chilling, terrible smile that scared her far more than anything she had seen before--and snatched her bleeding hand. Hope tried to squirm away, but there was no place for her to go as long as she was still chained to the wall.   
She was trapped.   
"Let's see how long you can last without screaming, little sister..."  
  
As Callista and Luke fought through the crowd, Callista's eyes fell upon Leanna and Cray, who were fighting the Kerash back-to-back, and doing a pretty good job, at that. "Leanna!" she shouted over the din. "Cray! Come with us! We're gonna need you help taking out the archers!"   
Both women looked over at Callista, then at the archers, and nodded. "Got it!" they both nodded in unison, and joined Luke and Callista as they paved their way toward the temple's front gate. As Callista fought, she could still feel her daughter's thoughts. The child seemed terrified now, and she had no doubt that the Kerash were drawing her blood at that moment. _Hang on, my little Hope,_ she thought, almost snarling at the thought of the Kerash hurting her daughter. _We're coming...   
_They finally reached the front gate moments later. The Kerash archers continued firing into the crowd, killing and maiming warrior after warrior. With his lightsaber, Luke easily sliced through the wooden bars, and stepped inside. Callista and Leanna followed suit, and Cray merely leaped into the air, flipped, and gracefully landed on the other side. The archers turned in their direction, temporarily surprised. Using that to her advantage, the four surged forth. With her arm, Callista slammed it into the closest archer's chest as hard as she could, forcing him to the ground. A second fired a single arrow at her, which she deflected with the Force and into the gut of another Kerash, who fell back against the temple wall.   
Luke charged forth with his lightsaber, swinging the green-white blade at another archer. Reacting with incredible speed, the man ducked beneath the deadly blade, and backhanded Luke across the face with an open fist. The blow caught Luke off-guard, and he staggered. The Kerash spun, and followed the punch with a powerful kick that landed on Luke's jaw, knocking the Jedi Master against the limestone wall. Callista growled at seeing her husband get hurt, and ambushed the attacking Kerash from behind. With a single, deft move, she sliced her sword into the man's knee, splintering the bone in half and cutting the lower half of his leg cleanly off. The stump clattered to the ground, a large piece of shattered bone sticking out. The Kerash shrieked in agony as he fell to his knees, and Callista followed with two quick slashes to the back, slitting open two deep, bleeding gashes that went all the way into his spine. The man fell, begging for mercy. She silenced him by hacking the edge of the sword's blade into his ribs.   
Luke got up to his feet, one hand going up to rub his sore jaw. He looked down at the bloodied corpse of the Kerash archer, then at Callista, concern etched on his face. "Callista--" he began. Callista ignored him, and turned back to the battle. She knew what Luke would say. He had felt her fury when she had fought the Kerash, had felt her satisfaction as she cut him to shreds. He had felt the darkness in her, for one brief second. It had only lasted a second, but it was still there.   
And he was frightened for her. Callista was, as well.   
The only other time she had come this close to darkness was on Dathomir, fighting the Nightsisters. She had come so close to being engulfed by the dark side then...and it was starting to return now. But she was adamant. These people had killed her son, taken her daughter away. Their leader had brutally beaten her in unarmed combat, and she had been beaten within an inch of her life. They were planning to resurrect a goddess so powerful that the entire universe was in jeopardy. They deserved to die...every last one of them.   
And dark side or not, Callista was determined to do so. The remaining archers began shooting at their unexpected opponents. Leanna strode forth, bearing her flame-thrower, and engulfed over half of the cloaked beings in white-red fire. The Kerash screamed as the flames burned through their cloaks, eating away at their flesh. One went over to Callista, his back ablaze, screaming in agony. Callista bared her teeth and struck her sword into the man's face, ripping it completely apart and exposing the skull underneath. The Kerash archer toppled to the ground, now on the verge of death.   
"Yeah, ya like that?" Leanna taunted, unleashing the flames once more, flaming the already-burning Kerash once again. The rest began to retreat.   
_Oh, no you don't_, Callista thought, as she chased after them._ You're not going anywhere...  
_Suddenly, she cried out as a Kerash grabbed her from behind, locking her arms behind her back. He had taken her completely by surprise, and was unable to fight back. Furious, she struggled to break free, and cried out as she felt the man's elbow hit her squarely in the back of her neck.   
"Let go of me, you bastard!" she shouted.   
"Shut up, bitch!" another Kerash snarled as he stepped in front of her. His fist struck her firmly in the jaw, causing her head to snap back at hyperspace speed. "How does it feel to be the one being punched now?" He followed with a powerful blow to the gut, and the air left Callista's body. She bent over in pain, unable to even scream, and looked up weakly as the man prepared to hit her again. She tensed, bracing herself for the next blow-- --when someone approached the Kerash from behind. A sword appeared in the new arrival's hands, blurring as it cut across the man's back. He cried out in unexpected pain and fell to his knees. With one of them down, Callista regained her strength, and broke free from the other's grip. With a spin, she turned to meet him and slashed her sword across the man's chest, quickly ending his life. Then she turned to see who had saved her.   
"Emna?" she gasped.   
The former Nightsister smiled, brandishing a curved sword in both hands. "Figured you guys could use some help," she said. "You were right, you know. These people are evil. I was fooling myself to not believing so for all these years."   
Callista nodded and grinned. "Thank the Force for that." The two women quickly returned to the fighting. More Kerash began arriving, storming through the entrance doors of the temple. With most of the Kerash archers dead, the rebel warriors burst through the weakened gate, and both sides swallowed each other up in a mass of bodies, weapons, and blood.   
As Callista fought, she quickly assessed how well her companions were faring. Luke was holding his own extremely well. He brought his blade up, shattering a Kerash's staff in half, and stabbed the green energy blade deep into his gut. The Kerash warriors bent over in pain, and a kick to the ribs sent him sprawling. A second charged toward the Jedi Master, in an attempt to tackle him down. Luke saw it coming, bent over, and tossed the girl over his back. As she fell on her back, Luke spun and delivered a killing blow.   
Kieran directed the brunt of the battle, armed with a large, spiked mace. It seemed incredibly heavy, and Kieran must have been pretty strong to even be able to lift it, much less swing it. He swung the mace into the air, clubbing a Kerash directly in the side of the head, spilling blood and brains onto the ground. With a spin, he fractured another's skull with the spiked weapon, dropping him like a large rock.   
Leanna was still firing away with her flame-thrower, setting warriors on fire. The white-skinned woman's face was grim, and Callista admired her resolve,   
Suddenly, she felt a Kerash's hand grab her by the arm. She turned and cried out as the man prepared to plunge a dagger into her throat.   
"Not so fast, buddy," Cray said, as she interfered. She grabbed the man firmly by the throat with her arm, struggled with him for a few seconds, and easily snapped his neck with a sickening snap! The corpse fell lifelessly to the ground, his eyes still open. Cray spat down upon the corpse, and smiled at Callista.   
"I could get used to this."   
"Don't get too cocky," Callista said. "We still have Armenia to deal with."   
"Yeah." The HRD quickly scanned the battle with her sensors. "Where is she, anyways? I figured she'd be leading the battle, herself."   
"Maybe she got scared and took off," Callista suggested, only half-joking. _I rather hope she does show up. Because when she does, I'm gonna give the beating of her life... _Her Force senses warned her of another attack, and she turned to see a Kerash armed with a small crossbow, prepared to shoot her in the chest. Moving fast, she snatched the crossbow, jerked it brutally from the young man's hands, and shoved the end into his face, cracking his nose and staggering him back. Keeping her eyes on him at all times, Callista pointed the crossbow in his direction. The young teenager's eyes widened, knowing what was to come--and got an arrow right between the eyes.   
"O Mighy Fyorga!" She turned, and saw Luke standing behind her, a Kerash's arm wrapped tightly around his throat. Callista saw that the cloaked warrior was holding something against Luke's back--a weapon of some sort.   
"Drop your weapon," the man commanded, tightening his grip on Luke's throat. "Or your friend dies."   
Callista looked at Luke, then at the Kerash threatening his life, and dropped both the sword and the crossbow. Images of Luke being struck by the arrow on Dathomir came back to her...   
The Kerash nodded in satisfaction and smiled. "Good. No one dares to oppose Arak and her people. You, and all who side with you, will die at her hands." As the Kerash spoke, he didn't notice the dagger that floated behind him, controlled by Callista's powers. "Really?" Callista said, putting her hands on her hips. "That's strange, because from the looks of it, it's you who's going to be dying in five more seconds." She looked past his shoulder. The confused Kerash followed her eyes, turning his head back--   
--just as the knife struck him squarely in the forehead. Callista shook her head. "Never fails," she said as the man slumped to the ground. She went over to Luke. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," he replied. "Thanks." He looked into Callista's eyes. "Callista, remember... anger leads to the dark side."   
Without another word, he picked up his lightsaber and continued fighting. Callista stood in the midst of the fighting, Luke's words beginning to sink in, her past brushes with the dark side haunting her again. She ignored the battles that raged fiercely around her. She was fighting a battle even worse than the Kerash.   
Herself.  
  
"How come all the grown-ups get to fight, while us kids have to stay back and watch?" Jacen complained as he, Jaina, and Tenel Ka sat around the dead campfire in the rebel encampment.   
"Because we're kids, stupid," Jaina said. "The grown-ups are too busy fighting; they don't want to have to worry about us, too." She hesitated. "Although, I do kinda wish we were helping."   
"Yeah," Jacen agreed, kicking at the burnt twigs. "I feel so darn useless. We should be doing something."   
"And what do you propose, Jacen my friend?" Tenel Ka asked as she sharpened her dagger. "Negotiate a peace talk with the Kerash?"   
Jacen shook his head. "I've got a better idea. We create a Force storm."   
Jaina and Tenel Ka looked up at him in shock. "A Force storm?" Jaina said. "But don't only bad Jedi do that?"   
"Not necessarily," Jacen said. "If we use it for good. Think about it. We managed to combine our powers to knock all those Kerash down earlier, right? Well, how about we do that again, only this time creating a very powerful storm that'll take the Kerash by surprise? They'll be battered by wind, rain, lightning, hail, floods, you name it. They'll never see it coming."   
"But Jaina is right," Tenel Ka pointed out. "In order to create a Force storm, you have to tap into the dark side. And I refuse to do such a thing."   
"The only reason people say that is because good Jedi have never tried it before," Jacen shot back. He stood up from the ground, puffing his chest out with pride. "If we channel the light side of the Force, we can't go wrong. We'll be doing a good thing. We'll be helping the grown-ups fight the Kerash, and not risk our lives in the process. If this works, it could change the way Jedi fight forever. Uncle Luke and Aunt Callista will be so proud of us."  
Jaina and Tenel Ka exchanged skeptical looks, but Jacen could see that he was finally beginning to convince them. "Come on, guys," he pleaded. "Just try it, this once. If it starts to go wrong, then we can stop. But this could really turn the tide of the war." His voice softened. "I don't want to lose our family to these bad people." His last sentence finally convinced them.   
Jaina stood up withhim. "Jacen, it sounds crazy, but it just might work! I say we gave it a shot."   
Tenel Ka joined them. "Very well." She gave Jacen a nod. "Very good thinking, my friend."   
Jacen slightly blushed in embarrassment. "Thanks, guys," he said.   
"So...what are we waiting for?" Jaina asked. "Let's get started."  
  
"You see, dear Llia?" Armenia said as she and her cousin watched the battle unfold before them. The two stood on the top steps of the Temple of Arak, Armenia's hand still gripping Llia by her upper arm. "This is the price for daring to rise against the army of Arak." As she spoke, Armenia lifted her crossbow, aimed it at one of the rebels, and fired. A single arrow left the bow, traveled through the air with amazing quickness, and struck the young woman squarely in the stomach. She let out a pained gasp and fell on her back, her hands going up to the arrow lodged in her gut.   
Llia watched with utter horror. She looked up at her cousin with disgust. "You're a monster, Armenia," she said. "How can you enjoy hurting people so much? These are innocent people!"   
"Innocent?" Armenia glared down at her. "Innocent? You dare to think that these people--these rebels who tried to oppose us and our goddess--are innocent? They all deserve to die, and so much more." She fired another arrow into the crowd of combatants. A rebel went down with an arrow in his back. "My people are merely doing the right thing, Llia," she said calmly. And, much to Llia's horror, her cousin meant every word she said. She truly believed that the Kerash were doing the right thing in butchering these rebels. "When you are older, perhaps you will understand."   
She stared down at Llia, and saw that the wound on her back had disappeared, leaving the barest hint of a scar. "Intersting," she said. "You seem to bear no trace of the purification I gave you." Her grip on Llia's arm tightened, and she whispered in her ear, "Is there something you know that I don't, little girl?"   
Llia didn't answer, instead focusing on the gruesome battle. She had never seen a battle on a scale such as this, and it terrified her. She wished she could just run away into the forest and hide, anything to not having to watch this bloodshed. Arrows began pouring through the open windows of the temple as Kerash archers began attacking. A young rebel cried out as he took an arrow to the side, while another fell as an arrow passed right through his jaw, gums, and teeth. It lodged itself in his mouth, and he was unable to pry it out. Llia closed her eyes, trying to will it all away. But she could still hear the sounds of battle, the clanging of swords, the bashing of clubs, the screaming of dying warriors, and the spilling of blood.  
When she opened her eyes, she caught a sight of a wave of flames surging through the crowd, setting over dozens of rebels and Kerash on fire. She followed the flames to its source, and saw a young woman off to one side, firing at the mob with a flame-thrower. Llia squinted her eyes for a better look. Something about this woman seemed so familiar to her... And in an instant, it hit her.   
It was her sister. At first, Llia refused to believe it. It was just a figment of her imagination, showing her only what she wanted to see. She rubbed her eyes, and looked at her again, but Leanna still remained there, the flame-thrower in her hands. It was true. She was really here! In just a single moment, everything had changed for Llia. Darkness and despair had suddenly changed to light and hope. For years, she had dreamed of her sister, had longed to see her again, play games with her, ask her questions about things she didn't understand, to hug her before she went to bed. A long time ago, she had given up all hope that she was see her sister again. Now, that lost hope had returned.   
Without even thinking, without a single moment of hesitation, Llia bit into Armenia's hand. The older woman cried out in pain, her fingers loosening from Llia's arm. She stepped back so fast that her back struck the rail, her eyes burning with pain and anger.   
"What do you think you're doing, you little brat?" she snapped. Llia ignored her. Her eyes kept focusing on Leanna. The sister she had lost so long ago, and had finally found again... _Together, forever in our hearts..._  
"LEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAANNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, and began running down the steps toward the only family she had ever known.  
  
Leanna had heard her name being called out to her seconds after she had fired another volley into the crowd of fighters. At first, she had dismissed it, thinking of it as nothing more than her own mind playing tricks on her. But then, she heard it again.   
"LEANNA! I'M OVER HERE!" The voice seemed eerily familiar to her. _No,_ she thought to herself, flaming even more warriors. Their screams of agony echoed in her mind, along with the screaming of her own name. _It can't be. It just can't be..._   
"Llia?" she quietly whispered, turning to the sound of the girl's voice. She spoke again, slightly louder, "Llia, is...is that you?" Her ice-blue eyes froze as they fell upon the small girl rushing toward her. She must have been at least nine or ten years old, and very beautiful. The black hair, the emerald eyes, it all came back to her as she saw the child approach her.   
"By the Force," Leanna gasped, dropping the flame-thrower to the ground, and barely even noticing it. The battle around her disappeared; all she saw was Llia running toward her, a joyful look on her young face. "By the Force...Llia...?" She suddenly began running, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Her footsteps thudded in her ears, her breathing became louder. A smile began spreading across her face as she ran to her little sister. _I can't believe it! I've finally found you. I never thought I would, but I did--  
_ A figure stepped in her way, blocking her from reaching her sister. The figure's back was turned to her, facing Llia. One of the Kerash.   
"No," Leanna whispered in a hoarse, raspy voice. _No, I just found you. Don't leave me again.._. "NO! she shouted, louder. The figure ignored her, and snatched Llia by the wrist, dragging her back to the temple.   
Llia shrieked as she tried to get away. She said something to the Kerash, but Leanna couldn't hear it. Her sister looked over at Leanna, the happiness changing back into despair. One hand reached out to her, beckoning to Leanna.   
LLIA! NO! "LET MY SISTER GO!!!!" she screamed, picking up her flame-thrower and chasing after the two at full speed. She knocked aside anyone who stood in her way, whether they were rebel or Kerash. The battle seemed more crowded with people than ever. She could see the Kerash taking Llia away from her, back to the steps of the temple., just as Boba Fett had done so many years ago.   
"Llia!" she screamed, doubling her speed. She checked her flame-thrower's charge. She only had enough power for a brief shot. She had to make it count. The two stopped at the foot of the steps. The Kerash--Leanna still couldn't see the person's face--shoved Llia brutally against the pedestal of a gargoyle statue perched on one side of the stairs, holding her by the throat. As Leanna came closer, a snarl escaping her throat, she could hear the person's voice.   
"Stupid little bitch! I have had enough of your insolence!"   
Leanna stood right behind the Kerash, the flame-thrower directed toward the person's back. "Get the hell away from my sister," she demanded in a cold, even voice. The Kerash froze at the sound of her voice, then released Llia, who slid to the ground, coughing and gasping, clutching at her bruised throat. The Kerash--Leanna could now see that it was a woman, judging by the mane of long black hair--slowly turned until she was facing Leanna. Both women were unprepared for what happened next. Leanna got one good look at the woman's face, and she almost dropped the flame-thrower. A paralyzing numbness struck her body as she recognized the woman's face, the black hair, the green eyes. She had aged since they had last met, as had Leanna, but she knew who that face belonged to anywhere.   
"Armenia?" she gasped. Rather than look surprised, Armenia seemed pleased. "Well, well, well," she said amusingly. "If it isn't my dear little cousin, Leanna Kai. I must say, this is a welcome surprise. Have you finally returned to Anasazi to fulfill your duty to Arak?"   
Leanna shook her head, spitting at the ground near Armenia's feet. "Arak can burn forever in Raximidaj for all I care. Along with you and the rest of your damned cronies." Armenia gave her a look of disapproval. "You're so hard-headed, Leanna, it disgusts me. You and your worthless sister." She glared down at Llia, who cowered back in fear.   
"Let Llia go, Armenia," Leanna said, almost pleading. She had never pleaded in her life before until now. "She has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me." Armenia turned toward Llia's frightened, weak form, and then back at Leanna. The two women stood there, mere feet apart from each other, while the rest of the battle continued around them. "Very well," she said. "But you know, Leanna, if I kill you, then your sister dies too."   
Leanna bit her lower lip, her finger slightly pressing against the flame- thrower's trigger. "You never could beat me before, Armenia," she said. "I doubt you'll start now." Armenia sighed, shaking her head. "That's where you're wrong, cousin. You see, I've been practicing my skills. I've been getting better with each passing day. I was even able to defeat a Jedi Knight." She stepped slightly closer to Leanna, her eyes fixated on her cousin. She didn't even bother to notice the flame-thrower she held. "I've changed from the bitter, angry weakling you knew when we were younger."   
Leanna shrugged. "I don't know, Armenia. You still seem like a bitter, angry weakling to me." When she saw Armenia's face contort in pained anger, she smiled. "Let's say we have a go at it. You and me."   
Armenia nodded. "With pleasure."   
"Llia!" Leanna shouted, as she turned to her sister. "Get out of here, now!"   
Llia refused to budge, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave you! I just found you!"   
"Please!" Leanna begged. "Don't argue with me! Go, now!"   
Llia finally gave in, and stood up. She went over to her sister and gave her a powerful hug. The two sisters remained locked together for a few precious seconds, a family finally reunited after years of separation. Leanna longed to hold onto her forever, but she knew that she couldn't...for now.   
She smiled as she kissed Llia on the crown of her head. "Go," she whispered. "I'll come back for you soon." Llia nodded as she pulled away from her. "I love you, Lea," she said, and disappeared into the crowd. Leanna watched her go, wishing her well. Don't worry, Llia. We'll be together again. And this time, nothing will ever come between us--  
"Then, with your permission, let me throw the first blow." With that, she fired the flame-thrower.   
Armenia saw it coming, but just barely. She rolled to her left to avoid the flames, but didn't quite make it in time. The wave of fire caught her black robes, setting them on fire. Armenia shrieked in pain as the flames began to singe her flesh, and she landed roughly on the dirt ground. With a furious, panicked scream, she wrestled to get the robe off her. It took her a few seconds, but she eventually had it off, and she threw it on the ground, leaving it to burn to a crisp.   
Armenia only wore a tight, black jumpsuit. Parts of her hands and face had blackened from where the fire had burned her. From the look on her face, she seemed to be in pain, but she was also very upset. "Very nice!" she snarled sarcastically, turning back to Leanna. "But that's nothing compared to what I'm--"   
She never had time to finish. The minute she opened her mouth, Leanna came forth and threw a good right to her mouth, snapping her head back and releasing a small burst of blood from her lips. Armenia staggered back, wiped the blood from her lips, and strode forth to strike back.   
Just as she bore down on her, Leanna snapped a front kick to her gut, leaving her breathless for a few seconds. Not even giving her a second to recover, Leanna continued raining blows upon her cousin. First a right hook, then a left. A spin, and she landed a backhand with a closed fist, and followed with her other fist, knocking her back against the other pedestal.   
She saw movement from the corner of her eye, and she spun, throwing her arm out. Armenia, now standing behind her, blocked the blow with her own arm, and Leanna felt her cousin's fist smack into her jaw. The blow caused her to black out for a brief second, and she started to fall. Thinking fast, Leanna stretched her arms out, and turned her fall into a cartwheel, and she brought herself back up, a small gap between her and Armenia.   
"Nice one," Leanna commented, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. "You caught me off-guard there. Enjoy it while it lasts, because it's not gonna happen again."   
Armenia grinned. "Really? Want to see what else I can do?"   
Leanna rose to the challenge. "What else can you do, besides bitch, moan, and shrivel up on the ground and die?"   
Armenia took the bait. With a roar, she charged forth, and the fight continued, a mere pinprick amongst the massive tidal wave of warriors battling each other in an ocean of death.


	20. Hand to Hand

Chapter 20  
  
Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka all sat around the dead campfire, forming a triangle, their hands clasped together, their eyes closed shut as they concentrated. Overhead, the eclipse hung ominously over them, blocking the warm, welcome sunlight of Anasazi's sun. For several minutes, the three children sat there, unmoving. Silence reigned over them. "Is it working yet?" Jaina suddenly asked, opening one eye.   
"Shhhh!" Jacen snapped at his sister. "Be quiet! Or we'll have to start over again." Jaina sighed as she closed her eyes again and continued meditating. Uncle Luke had told them repeatedly about Force storms. Jedi strong in the dark side were able to create them by channeling their anger and hate, causing enormous, powerful storms that had the ability to devastate entire planets. Many times, Jacen and Jaina had been told by their uncle and aunt that Force storms were very dangerous, and should never be attempted. But perhaps he was wrong, Jacen surmised. Perhaps there was a way to create a Force storm without having to use the powers of the dark side. Jacen had learned a long time ago that anything was possible, and this certainly was no exception. They had just to do it right.   
He kept his eyes shut, and reached within him, drawing strength from the Force. It was like an endless well filled with an incredible amount of power, power Jacen could never even hope to completely master. He took only as much as he needed, summoning the powers of light. No fear, no anger, no hate. Instead, he focused on the one thing that was stronger than any of those emotions.   
Love.   
Love for his little brother and cousin, both of whom were in great danger.   
Love for his aunt and uncle, who were even now plunging themselves into a dangerous battle, both knowing that there was a good chance neither would make it out alive.   
Love for his sister, even though she annoyed him most of the time.   
Love for Tenel Ka, a friend who was becoming closer to him as they spent more time with each other.   
And, most of all, love for his parents. Images flashed before his eyes...good images. Images full of happiness. His birth, his first step, his first word--which was "Dada", which made his father very proud--his younger brother's birth, all the times he had fun with his siblings, his family going on a trip to Hologram Funworld, his first day at school, the first time he ever used the Force, when everyone had gone to Dantooine to celebrate Hope's second life day. All the images coascled together in a powerful surge of energy that shot throughout his body, filling him with endless power.   
"Do you feel that?" he asked Jaina and Tenel Ka.   
"Yes," Tenel Ka said breathlessly. "It feels so...good."   
"And powerful," Jaina said in a hushed whisper. "I've never felt so powerful in my life."   
The three children stretched out with the Force, focusing their powers into the dark sky. Had the eclipse not been there, it would have been early morning. But not a single ray of light was able to break through the barrier. It felt as if it was midnight. Jacen concentrated, focusing all his energy on the sky just above the Temple of Arak.   
_There,_ he said through the Force. _That's where the Force storm will be.  
_Jaina and Tenel Ka nodded, and followed Jacen's mind toward the location. Suddenly, something began to change. Jacen felt something enter his mind, something very powerful. It filled his entire body, controlling his every thought, every movement. At first, he tried to fight it back, but something inside him told him not to. This power, whatever it was, was good.  
Jacen's eyes opened, and his brown irises were gone, replaced by a deep burning blue-white. He looked at Jaina and Tenel Ka, and saw that they too seemed to be posessed by the Force as well. Seconds later, the Force storm began to form.   
It started out as a normal storm. A light wind began blowing from the sky, cool and almost gentle. But soon, it became fiercer, until it was strong enough to snap the branches off the gnarltrees. Jacen felt the wind slap against his skin, causing goosebumps to appear on his face. A large black cloud began to form in the sky above the Kerash temple. Blue- white lightning crackled from the cloud, striking down several trees and setting them on fire. The lightning was accompanied by thunder, and the wind continued to blow, stronger than ever. Hail the size of rocks poured from the clouds, pelting the combatants below. And throughout it all, Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka remained seated, in a deep trance, the living essence of the Force itself burning within them.  
  
Kinshur swallowed the blood of the Sacred Three with honor, feeling the thick, coppery substance travel against his tongue and through his throat. It tasted nasty, and did little to alleviate his thirst. But he drank the blood, knowing that it was the final step in the Ritual, the final step to bring Arak from her prison in Raximidaj. Tsin nodded in satisfaction, and the circle of priests surrounded the young man, awaiting for the portal to open. They had stopped humming, their eyes fixated on his bloodied, crucified form. For a long time, nothing happened, the only sound being the whimpers of the little girl as the Kerash priest threatened her with the dagger.   
Then suddenly, Kinshur felt his body grow rigid. He froze, unable to move, as a feeling of paralyzing shock shot through his entire body. _It's starting,_ he thought, smiling, despite the sheer, burning agony it caused him. He felt his brittle skin tear as his mouth opened wide, but he ignored it, overjoyed beyond belief. _At last, it has started_.   
The numbness began to wear off, replaced by a sudden wave of burning pain, as if fire had been placed in his bloodstream. Kinshur's body began convulsing as he went into a seizure. He began to scream, his voice carrying through the large chamber. He could feel his blood start to boil over, his flesh smoke. It felt like he had been placed in a bubbling pit of burning lava. The priests nodded as they watched the young man slowly began to die. They were not at all disturbed by the horrid display. Kinshur had been prepared for this day for years, and he would accept it with all his heart. The portal would open within him, and Arak would at last be brought back into their world. Kinshur was well aware that he would not survive the process.   
And he was glad.   
Not only would he be remembered as the Vessel that brought their goddess back, but it would finally end the torment and pain the priests had put him through for all these years. In many ways, he was welcoming the eternal darkness.   
And he would soon receive it.  
  
"There's too many of them!" Callista shouted over the fighting toward Luke as she fought by his side. She ducked a swinging club, and severed the tip off with the blade of her sword. "It's gonna take a lot more than this to beat them!"   
Luke nodded grimly as he charged forth with his lightsaber, slicing a Kerash's staff in half. He then rammed the metal hilt of his weapon into his jaw, shattering the bone, and thrust the blade across the man's chest, tearing through his ribcage. A second Kerash came at him, and Luke brought him down with a quick decapitation.   
"Just keep fighting!" Luke shouted in reply, and looked over at his wife. "And don't give in to your hate. The dark side won't get Hope back, trust me."   
Before Callista could reply, a Kerash attacked her from the left. She brought her sword up and deflected his mace. Luke rushed forth, and stabbed his lightsaber into the Kerash, killing him instantly. He turned back to Callista. "Promise me!"   
Callista hesitated, and finally nodded. "I will." The Jedi Master nodded--_I love you, Callista-_-and resumed fighting, taking down as many Kerash as possible. Callista herself fought hard, trying not to be swayed by her hate for the Kerash, but it was so hard to do so. She kept thinking about Hope, so frail and precious, how the Kerash just came into their lives and took her daughter away from her. She kept thinking about Armenia, how she beat Callista in combat, and ordered her to be purified. She thought of Sonya, the kind old woman who had helped piece together the puzzle of the Kerash, only to die at the hands of the enemy. With thoughts like these continually plaguing her mind, it was hard not to give in to them. But somehow, she managed to do so...for now, at least.   
As the battle raged on, Callista noticed arrows coming from the higher windows of the Kerash temple, striking down rebel fighters left and right. She saw their faces for brief seconds as they fired their arrows, then disappeared from the window as they reloaded. The archers were an even larger threat than the warriors fighting on the ground. They had to be taken out.   
"Cray!" Callista shouted over at the HRD, who was busy struggling with a Kerash. "Come with me! We're taking out those archers!" She pointed toward the temple windows, where the archers hid themselves in the small, dark rooms.   
"I'm on it!" Cray shouted, as she threw the Kerash into the air, knocking him into two of his fellow warriors. All three went down in a jumble of limbs.   
As the two women began heading for the temple, the sky above them began to suddenly darken even more, if that was possible. Black clouds pooled in the night sky, shrouding even the eclipse. Thunder and blue fingers lightning raged from the sky, causing several trees to catch on fire. Large pieces of hail fell upon the fighting warriors, severely wounding anyone they touched. Callista herself almost took a piece of hail to the shoulder. "What the hell is this?" Cray asked, looking up at the sky.   
"A Force storm," Callista realized, sensing the immense power building up within the clouds. Someone on Anasazi was creating a Force storm. _But who...?_   
She cried out as someone bumped full-force into her. Callista reared back, bringing her sword up to defend herself, when she saw Llia, who had fallen down. She looked up at Callista in surprise.   
"Callista?" she gasped. "You have to help me!"   
"What is it?" Callista asked, as she helped the child up.   
"It's Armenia," Llia explained in a hurry. "She tried to kill me, but my sister, Leanna, stopped her. They're fighting near the temple right now. My sister's a good fighter, but so is Armenia. Will you help us?" There was so much pleading in her voice that it broke Callista's heart.   
"Of course," Callista said softly. "Of course I'll help you." She turned to Cray. "Cray, can you take care of the archers yourself? Llia and I have a score to settle with Armenia." "Armenia?" Cray said. "Hey, I've got a score to settle with her, too. After all, she tricked me, and threatened to melt me into scrap--"   
"Please," was all Callista said.   
The HRD sighed and acquiesed. "Fine, have it your way." Without another word, she charged toward the temple.   
Llia bent over to pick up a small dagger that had been dropped on the ground. "Come on, Callista," she said quickly. "Follow me. I'll show you the way." Together, they made their way through the thick crowd.  
  
_How come Callista always get to have it her own way? _Cray thought bitterly as she pushed through the mob of fighters, breaking bones and smashing open heads of any Kerash who got in her way. She was practically a one-woman army, and could've taken on the Kerash until they grew old and died.   
_One of the advantages of being a droid_, Cray thought with a grin. You never get tired. She finally reached the gate, leaping over it with extreme ease. She landed safely on her feet, and looked up at the enormous temple.   
Sure enough, she could make out the faces of at least five Kerash archers firing their arrows through the large windows. _They won't be shooting those arrows of theirs for long,_ thought Cray as she took a running start toward the temple. The Kerash archers had taken notice of her, and began directing their arrows at her, striking with admirable precision. Cray twisted and turned, avoiding each and every arrow coming in her direction. When she was close enough to the temple, she leaped high into the air, just as an arrow struck the ground where her feet had been. Twisting in mid-air, she grabbed at the windowsill, pushed upward with all her strength, and stared right into the face of one of the archers, who recoiled in surprise.   
"Hi," she quipped. "Cray Mingla. Nice to meet you." The palm of her hand hit him in the chest a second later, snapping his ribs, and she grabbed him by the front of his black robe, and tossed him out the window. With one down, and only four left, Cray swung through the window, and found herself in a small, narrow corridor. There, she saw the four remaining archers standing behind four other windows, all armed with longbows. They turned toward Cray, surprised to see her there. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said sarcastically. "Am I interrupting your killing spree? I'm really sorry about that, but your mothers told me no more killing for you children today."   
The Kerash exchanged confused looks--then charged toward her as one, waving their longbows. Cray grinned--just the reaction she was hoping for--and waited until the first was upon her. She slammed her arm into his face, cracking his skull and causing him to slam back into the Kerash behind him, knocking them both out cold. A third came at Callista jabbing an arrow toward her midsection. The HRD saw the attack, sidestepped, and grabbed him by the throat, depriving him of his precious oxygen. She pushed forth, shoving him out through one of the windows, and letting him fall to his death. Leaving only one left.   
He turned out to be even quicker to beat than his companions. All it took was one elbow to the face, and he was out like a light bulb. Cray surveyed the damage she had caused, and wiped her hands together, satisfied.   
  
Leanna and Armenia had been trading blows for several minutes now, having taken their fight to the front entrance of the temple, and Leanna was beginning to wonder why she hadn't taken her cousin out yet. When they had been children, Armenia had been pretty easy to beat in their practice spars. All it took was one or two punches, and she would be on her knees, begging for mercy.   
Now, though, she had taken in several blows, and she showed no indication of tiring or giving up. Apparently, she had been practicing more. Not that it bothered Leanna in the slightest. She would still be the victor in this fight--it would just take a little longer than she had first expected.   
As the storm continued raging above them, Leanna swung a right jab, clobbering Armenia again in the mouth. Another punch, and her lips were smashed. As her cousin staggered, Leanna planted a good one to the gut, then grabbed her by the shoulders, slamming her knee into Armenia's stomach, causing her to double over in pain. Leanna swung a hammerfist, intending to crack Armenia's skull open. Her cousin ducked, narrowly missing the powerful punch, and grabbed Leanna by her shoulder and neck.   
"Have a nice flight," Armenia said, as she threw Leanna into the air.   
Leanna sailed, unable to control her fall, and she flew right over the temple rail, where she met the ground, her side taking most of the impact. She groaned as she stood up, pain searing in her arm. Her arm was bleeding from a large gash, and the left side of her face was covered with scrapes. And Armenia was coming at her again. Leanna waited until just the right moment, when her cousin was close enough for her to grab her. Armenia snatched her by both arms, and Leanna grabbed hers in return, using her cousin's momentum against her. They both spun, and Leanna flipped Armenia into the air, and she hit the middle of the temple steps. With Armenia weakened for the moment, Leanna brought her fist down toward her head. Her cousin twisted her head to one side, and Leanna ended up punching the step, making a large crack in the limestone. Her hand hurt and was bleeding, but she barely noticed it. She tried again, this time balling her hands into one large fist and smashing down upon Armenia, intending to pulverize her nose.   
But Armenia's hands shot up, grabbing Leanna's arms before she could finish her blow. With incredible strength, she threw Leanna over her, causing her to slam into the left gargoyle statue. The impact caused the statue to crack open, and Leanna hit the ground, covered in pieces of marbled stone. Her entire body was now one large wave of pain. She didn't break anything, thank the Maker, but she was still hurting. She staggered weakly to her feet, and saw Armenia strode toward her again.   
"You're losing your touch, Leanna," Armenia commented, waiting as her cousin got back up. "Has old age finally gotten to you? How disappointing."   
Leanna wiped blood dribbling from a cut made on the left side of her forehead, glaring at her cousin with ice-blue knives. "You can't beat me, Armenia," she said.   
"Oh, I beg to differ, dear cousin," said Armenia. "You'll be the first to die...and then your sister will follow. Don't worry. I'll make it as slow and painful for her as possible."   
Finally losing it, Leanna threw a powerful uppercut--   
--only to have it blocked by Armenia's hand.   
"Ooooh, so close," her cousin said, and dropped Leanna with a punch to the head. Leanna dropped to one knee, her ears ringing from the hard blow. It felt like she had been hit by a large rock. She shook the dizziness out of her head, and looked up to see Armenia throwing her knee toward her face. Reacting fast, Leanna's hands shot up, hitting Armenia's knee and knocking it away from her face. She stood up and delivered two fast punches, both of which were unsuccessful. She cried out when Armenia struck her again, and then a third time, sending her back down. Leanna could feel more blood sliding from her nose and mouth, and as she started to get up, she felt Armenia's foot fly into the side of her head. A white flash of pain exploded behind her eyes, and she nearly lost consciousness. It was only through her strong will to survive and see her sister again that Leanna was able to fight back the darkness.   
She stood up again, and stared into Armenia's grinning face. She began to throw an arm that would hit her in the chest. Armenia sidestepped, grabbed the arm as it flew past her, and threw Leanna onto the temple stairs. Her back and rear bore the brunt of the impact, further increasing her pain. She didn't even have time to recover before Armenia grabbed her by the throat.   
"Interesting, Leanna," Armenia said, as she punched her in the face. "But it looks like you're losing."   
As Leanna reeled from the blow, she felt Armenia pull her off the stairs, knocking her down to the ground. She bounced off several of the steps before she hit the dirt, most of the fight now gone out of her. And then she saw an image of her sister's face again. So beautiful and sweet, a bright innocence in her eyes that Leanna had lost so long ago, when her family had been destroyed before her very eyes...   
Suddenly, she felt some of her strength return to her. It wasn't nearly enough for her win, but it would suffice for now. All that mattered to her was keeping Armenia at bay until help arrived. She rolled to her feet, just as Armenia leaped off the stairs, performing an impressive flip before landing quietly on her feet, in front of her opponent. Taking her by surprise, Leanna quickly snapped a sidekick into her gut, connecting nice and clean. Armenia gasped in pain, and she followed with a roundhouse kick to the head. Armenia dodged the blow, but fell victim to Leanna's knee, which shot up straight into her face. There was a loud, satisfying crack as her cousin's nose broke open, and Armenia staggered back into the pedestal.   
And then something about her changed. Her eyes became bloodshot, frenzied and wild, like an animal. Her teeth bared in a fierce, terrifying snarl as she went completely berserk. It was something in her that Leanna had never seen before. And for the first time, she actually felt fear toward her cousin. Still not willing to give up, Leanna came at her and threw another unsuccessful blow. Armenia snatched her arm and, emitting an animal growl, threw her back onto the stairs. Leanna's chin hit the hard stone, causing the skin to break and spill blood. She tried to get back up when she felt Armenia's boot strike her squarely in the back, throwing her forth, higher up the stairs. She felt a brief surge of pain as her spine shuddered from the blow. Armenia's shadow loomed over her, and Leanna looked into her eyes, and saw not a trace of humanity left in them. It was as if Armenia had changed into some horrifying demon, its only purpose to kill.   
Leanna rose to her knees and threw a punch for the gut. Armenia easily blocked the blow and held her by the arm.   
"Wanna see a trick, Leanna?" she snarled. With a single move, she snapped the bone in Leanna's arm in half. A terrible agony ripped through her left arm. The broken half of the bone tore through her skin. Leanna screamed, a loud, high-pitched wail of pain that rose above all the other battle cries in the fight. She was in so much pain that she barely even noticed Armenia flip her off the stairs, causing her to roll down the limestone steps, and onto the ground. Leanna laid there, unable to move, unable to feel anything but the burning pain in her arm. It remained there, as if it would never go away. She looked up at the sky, the rain pelting her body, mixing in with her blood. Moments later, Armenia was standing over her. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," she said. "Poor little Leanna. All those years of feeling like you're invincible have made you so hard-headed." She grinned down upon her, as a burst of lightning illuminated her in white light. "Consider this a much-needed wake-up call."  
"Leanna!"   
Both women turned at the sound of the voice. Leanna saw Llia emerge from the crowd of warriors, a small knife held in her hands. Her eyes widned when she saw Leanna, and then glared furiously at Armenia. "You leave my sister alone, Armenia, or else!" Armenia laughed. "Or what, Llia? Are you going to kill me?" She shuddered in mock-terror. "Oh, no. Whatever am I going to do? I think I'll kill your sister before I kill you, Leanna. Would you like to see me snap her scrawny little neck before I move on to you?"   
That finally set Leanna off. All the pain went away in an instant, and she was back on her feet, facing off against her cousin. "Come on, Armenia," she threatened. "Let's settle this once and for all."   
Armenia obliged, and the two women were at each other again, exchanging a series of kicks and punches. Leanna blocked as many of the blows as she could with her single arm, for it hurt to move her left one. Llia looked on, her eyes wide with horror. Leanna finally saw an opening, and she reached out with her remaining good hand, grabbing Armenia by the throat. She followed with a sharp head-butt that further flattened her nose, spraying blood into both their faces.   
"Don't worry, Lea!" Llia said, as she rushed forth with her weapon. "I'll help you!" Leanna looked over at her sister, then realized her mistake. Too late, she had let her guard down. Armenia got hold of her arm, and shoved her back. Leanna staggered back, unable to control herself, and fell toward the ground.  
Llia screamed as Leanna bowled into her. Her back hit the ground, and she watched as Leanna fell upon her--   
--and accidentally plunged her knife into her sister's back. For a moment, Llia didn't even realize what she had just done. All she saw was Leanna slamming into her, then she fell to the ground, and her sister fell on top of her, a loud groan of pain escaping her lips. But when she finally recovered from her shock seconds later, her eyes went down to where her hands were. They were still clutched tightly to the handle of her knife--   
--and the blade was embedded deep into Leanna's back.   
For an eternity, Llia didn't move. She just stared at the knife, and at Leanna. The blade had penetrated her sister's flesh, cut her spine in half, and ended halfway into her heart. Leanna remained on top of Llia, coughing up blood, her eyes losing focus. When Llia finally found her voice again, when the shock began to wear off, and when she finally realied what she had done, she began to scream.   
"NO!" she cried, scrambling out from under her sister, and cradling Leanna's head in her lap. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! LEANNA! LEANNA!"   
"L-Llia?" her sister gasped out weakly, more blood streaming from the corners of her mouth, slipping along her throat and cheeks. "What...?"   
"Leanna, I'm sorry," Llia choked out, her tears mixing with the raindrops that splattered onto her pale, white face. She continued holding her dying sister, her tears falling upon Leanna's face. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Please. Please, don't die. Don't die. Don't die. Don't die." She finally erupted into a series of sobs, as she mentally cursed herself for what she had done. _You stupid idiot! You stupid, stupid idiot! Look what you've done now! Oh, by the Force, what have I done..._   
Her thoughts were interrupted by Armenia's laughter. "Oh, my goodness!" she cackled. "Now, this is the funniest thing I have ever seen. Llia, thank you very much for the assistance. It wasn't really needed, but I appreciate it, nonetheless."   
Llia stared up at her cousin, unable to belive what she was saying. "It was an accident," she said weakly. "And she's not going to die! She's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine, right, Leanna?" She looked down at her sister, and saw that she was not responding. "Right, Lea? Lea...please, answer me. Please...Come on, sis. You're scaring me. Please, don't die. Don't die! Don't die..."   
She felt a brief flicker of hope as her sister's eyes started to move. She looked up at Llia, her eyes brimming with sadness. "I'm sorry, Llia," she whispered. "I...I tried to save you..."   
Llia shook her head. "No, it doesn't matter. I've found you. And we're together again, just like old times. We're gonna be a family again, you and me. Just you and me--"   
"Well, this most certainly is amusing," Armenia said, as she stepped closer to the two. "Looks like you gutted the wrong person, Llia. Oh, the irony of it all."   
Llia spat at her cousin's feet. "BITCH! Filthy, disgusting BITCH! You're gonna pay for this..."   
"Oh, no, that's where you're wrong, Llia," Armenia interrupted. "You see, I'm not the one who killed your sister. It was you. This whole mess is your own fault." She shook her head. "Honestly, Llia, I never knew you had it in you. Maybe there's hope for you after all." "Rot in hell, Armenia," Llia growled.   
Armenia shrugged. "Or maybe not."   
She moved fast, one arm wrapping around Llia's throat and lifting her up into the air, the other rolling Leanna over and gripping the knife embedded in her back. With a single yank, she pulled the knife out so hard that Leanna let out a pained moan. "Looks like Leanna's about to die pretty soon," Armenia said, her eyes inches away from Llia's. "And you know what that means, don't you?"   
Llia glared at her cousin, resigned to her fate. With her sister gone, she had no further wish to live. "Go ahead, Armenia," she said. "Kill me."   
"Gladly." She brought the knife up and down toward Llia's throat--   
"Armenia!"   
The sound of the new voice startled both Armenia and Llia. The older woman dropped Llia, and both turned to the new arrival, who stood before them, armed with a double-edged sword.   
"Let the girl go," Callista said in a low, menacing voice as she slowly advanced toward Armenia.   
Armenia's eyes widened in pleasant surprise as Callista stepped into the fray. "Well, look who we have here," she said, still holding onto Llia, the blood-soaked dagger mere centimeters away from piercing the child's throat.   
Callista stepped closer, swallowing her fear. "I said, let the girl go," she repeated calmly. Armenia hesitated at first, then released Llia, dropping her as nonchalantly as if she were a rock. Llia scrambled away from her cousin, and ran to her dying sister's side.   
Leaving Callista alone with Armenia.   
Just the way she wanted.   
Callista glared into the other woman's eyes, trying so hard not to let her anger cloud her mind. She remembered how Armenia had beaten her in the battle arena, and how she had ordered her to be purified immediately afterwards.   
"It's over, Armenia," she said. "Give it up, while you still can."   
"I'm surprised to see you here, Skywalker," Armenia said, ignoring her demand, and wiping some blood from her nose. "I had thought for sure that the purification would have killed you."   
Callista did not flinch. "It'll take a lot more than that to kill a Jedi Knight, Armenia," she said, inching closer to her opponent, the sword still in her hands. "I figured you'd have learned that by now."   
"Silly me," Armenia said in an amused manner. "You can't beat me. I've bloodied you before, and I'll do it again." She strode over to Callista, brandishing the knife, until only a foot-long gap separated the two women.   
"That's where you're wrong," said Callista in a dangerous voice, accompanied by a crash of thunder. "You see, the only reason you were able to beat me before was because I wasn't able to use the Force to defend myself." She allowed a challenging grin to stretch across her face. "Now, though, all bets are off. No rules. No limitations."  
"No matter," replied Armenia. "You saw what I did to my cousin over there." She gestured toward Leanna, who was lying on the ground, on the borderline between life and death. "I can do even worse to you, if I wish."   
"Then give me your best shot," Callista challenged. "But I'll give you a little forewarning, Armenia...only one of us is going to survive this fight. I'll give you three guesses as to who it will be."   
Something went off inside Armenia, and a split second later, she was swinging her knife toward Callista's throat. Callista anticipated the attack long before it came, and she was well- prepared for it.   
Moving with the reflexes that had been her gift since birth, she moved her head to the left. She felt the blade fly past her neck, almost touching the skin. As Callista brought her head back, Armenia was already halfway through another blow. She brought her sword up, deflecting the dagger blade away from her. She threw her own blow, a jab for the Kerash's abdomen.   
But Armenia was also quick, and her knife struck the blade of the sword, scarring the metal and knocking it sideways. She spun and slashed the blade downward, intending to cut Callista in the legs. Callista cursed, and leaped into the air, just barely dodging the attack. She landed on her feet seconds later, and the two warriors continued the fight.   
Minutes passed as they fought under the fury of the Force storm, and Armenia finally gained the upper hand. She parried another blow with her dagger, and her hand shot up, smacking Callista hard in the wrist and spinning the sword out of her reach. Before Callista could recover from her surprise at losing her weapon, Armenia was already making her next move. She grabbed Callista by the arm and shoved back with all her might, slamming her against the gargoyle pedestal, causing a shudder to run throughout the entire statue. Callista's back felt the impact, and she felt pain shiver down her spine. Her strength was momentarily shot, and Armenia used that to her advantage as she began to pummel her opponent. Armenia shot her knee up repeatedly into Callista's stomach, each blow hurting a little more than the previous one. Callista gasped as she felt the air in her lungs escape through her lips, and her throat burned with bile. But she managed to hold it within her, and she drew strength from the Force.   
Through the flurry of blows Armenia gave her, Callista managed to rear her head back and ram her forehead into the other's face as hard as she could. Armenia's head snapped back so hard that she almost broke her neck, and her already-broken nose cracked open even further. With her opponent weakened, Callista grabbed Armenia by one arm, moved away from the pedestal, swung her around, and slammed her against the foot of the statue, where Callista had been moments before. Armenia cried out as her back hit the marble, and Callista followed with a powerful right to the jaw, drawing blood from the woman's mouth. As Armenia reeled, Callista grabbed the hand that still held the knife, and brought her elbow down upon her opponent's arm, causing Armenia to drop the knife. _There_, Callista thought. _Now, we're even_.   
Still holding Armenia's arm, Callista brought her elbow into her face, causing the back of her head to bounce off against the pedestal. A spin, and she punched her again. She threw a mighty roundkick, but Armenia had gained enough equilibrium to duck the blow, and move away from the pedestal, ending up behind Callista. Callista moved fast, spinning around with the grace of an experienced dancer, so that she was facing her opponent again. Just as she finished her spin, she swung a kick across Armenia's face, almost dropping her down. Armenia reeled from the kick, but was able to block Callista's next punch with her hand. With an angry growl, the Kerash leader spun and landed a powerful sidekick into Callista's gut, using enough force to throw her back into the air. Callista cried out as she landed at the top of the temple steps, just in front of the entrance. She looked over and saw Armenia advancing toward her.   
The Kerash warrior ran up the steps with breathtaking speed, and she leaped into the air, landing right next to her downed opponent. With a grin, she brought her foot down toward Callista's chest. Callista cried out as she rolled aside, successfully avoiding the blow, and ended up behind her adversary. Armenia's foot struck the bare ground instead, and as she began to turn around, Callista brought her foot up and thrust it behind Armenia's knee, driving her into the wall. Buying just enough time to get up, Callista leaped to her feet, just as Armenia began to turn back around, glaring emerald daggers at the Jedi Knight. Thinking fast, Callista's eyes laid upon one of the temple pillars off to her right. As Armenia surged toward her, Callista turned and ran over to the thin pillar, grabbing it with both hands, and leaping into the air. Using the Force to boost her momentum, she spun around the pillar, feeling the cold air brush against her skin, and landed an aerial sidekick across Armenia's face. The Kerash leader was knocked back against the wall, stunned, the kick having split open a large welt on her cheek.   
Callista landed safely on her feet, and went over to Armenia. Attacking without mercy, she aimed another kick at her head, which Armenia dodged. The Kerash spun around behind Callista in hopes of hitting her from behind. But the Force was guiding Callista, telling her Armenia's every move.   
With a spin, she faced her opponent again, and landed another kick, this time connecting cleanly, knocking the other woman against one of the pillars. Armenia laid back against the stone pillar, her eyes frenzied and red. She was beginning to become frustrated, and they both knew it. As Callista prepared to kick her again, two forms burst through the door. Kerash guards, both armed with the traditional Kerash weapon--golden staffs. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Callista and Armenia. Without hesitation, Armenia reached forth and snatched the staff from the hands of the closest Kerash guard. As the guard began to ask her what she was doing, she elbowed him in the face, knocking him out cold. "Let's see how well you can fight me when I have this!" Armenia snarled, as she charged toward Callista with the weapon.   
As before, Callista calculated where and when the blow would hit her. When the time came, she sidestepped, easily evading the attack, and threw her foot into the small of Armenia's back, knocking her down the stairs.   
"Looks like I did just fine," Callista said with a grin. With only a few seconds to spare before Armenia came back into the fray, Callista snatched the remaining guard's staff. The Kerash began to utter a protest, but one look at Callista, and he dashed back into the temple. By now, Armenia had begun running up the flight of steps. Callista went down with her staff, and they met in the middle of the steps. Both now armed again, the two women began trading blows with the golden staffs. They were heavier than they looked, Callista realized, as she parried Armenia's blows. She threw her own attacks, aiming specifically for the chest and gut, but Armenia met each one with her own weapon.   
As the fight escalated, a monstrous burst of lightning roared across the sky. Callista jumped back in surprise--lightning had always scared her as a child--and her grip on her staff faltered. Armenia used this moment well, and she sent her staff into Callista's thigh. A river of pain went down her entire leg, and Callista almost fell. One hand went up to grab Armenia's staff.   
Callista was unprepared for what happened next. As she remained holding onto the end of the staff pressed against her thigh, which had gone numb, Armenia lifted up her own end of the weapon, and threw Callista high into the air. Callista screamed as she flew through the stormy sky, and she was almost struck by another wave of lightning. She summoned the Force, and was able to somewhat control her fall, turning her plummet into a backflip and landing on the parapet of the temple, giving her a good view of the battle down below. Armenia raced forth toward the temple, and flipped into the air after Callista. With admirable acrobatic skills, Armenia easily landed on the temple parapet, where she now faced Callista, the golden staff held in her hands. Barely a second had passed before the fight continued.  
  
"Scared, little Hope?" Kara hissed as she pressed the tip of the red-hot dagger against Hope's bleeding hand. Her skin immediately began to sizzle under the touch. "I can feel your fear. Don't be afraid. I'll make it quick."   
Hope shook her head, unable to control her tears. "Get away from me!" she pleaded. "Or else my Mommy's gonna kill you!"   
Kara didn't seem intimidated by her threat. "Perhaps. It turns out that Mommy will be coming very soon. Then we can all be one big, happy family again." She looked down at the knife that was so close to cutting into her sister's skin, and then up at the wall, as if staring off into something Hope couldn't see. There was a faraway look in her hard gray eyes. "Of course, she's going to be busy for quite a while...giving me time to get to know the sister who usurped my place in this family."   
Hope jumped when she heard Kinshur's screams. She looked over Kara's shoulder and saw the young man sizzling and boiling from within, smoke rising from his slowly charring flesh. "What's happening to him?" she gasped.   
Kara looked over at Kinshur, and smiled. "The portal's opening," she said, and turned back to Hope. "We don't have much time." She positioned the blade of the dagger.  
"Please, don't do this..."   
"Don't worry, little sister," Kara whispered, her voice sounding more demonic than human. "I promise that it won't hurt...much."   
The blade tore through her hand, and Hope screamed.  
  
Callista kept hammering at her opponent with the staff, deflecting any blow sent in her way, but she was beginning to sap all her energy. She had to find a way to bring Armenia down quickly before she was no longer able to fight.   
Armenia, on the other hand, showed no signs of giving up. Apparently, not even her earlier fight with Leanna had slowed her down, for she continued defending herself when she needed to, and attacking when she saw an opening. There was something very unusual about this, Callista thought as she ducked beneath a swing that would have cracked her skull open had she not seen it coming. Armenia may have been a skilled warrior, but she was no match for a Jedi Knight, especially a one as powerful as Callista. She should have been taken down a long time ago...   
Callista leaped over another attack, and brought her staff down upon Armenia's head, which was easily parried. She cried out as her opponent shoved her staff forth in a horizontal position, striking her squarely in her face. Armenia struck again, one end of the staff striking Callista sharply in the left hip. The other end came out, hitting her in the right side. Callista's legs wobbled, threatening to collapse, and she was staggered back when the tip of Armenia's staff shot straight into her gut. Callista fell back and almost tumbled down the parapet, but she steadied herself at the last minute, and watched as Armenia backed away from her, confidently twirling her staff around her. A grin highlighted her face, as she silently beckoned Callista to continue fighting.   
Callista obliged, stepping forth with her staff. She lifted her weapon over her head, and behind it, one end directed straight at her opponent. Then, just as Armenia began moving toward her, Callista shoved the staff forward. It sailed through the air, and she controlled its velocity with the Force. The end of the golden weapon struck Armenia squarely in the stomach, driving her back. The Kerash huffed in pain, not expecting that attack. Callista stroke forth, one foot going up. Backed up by an enormous amount of power, she kicked at Armenia's staff, shattering it into two smaller pieces at the center. Simultaneously, she reached out with the Force, and called her staff back into her hands, and she stepped back. Armenia recovered, and she stared down at the two broken pieces of her staff, then at Callista, her eyes glaring in surprise and anger.   
Callista merely offered her a grin, and urged her to make the first move.   
Moving with the speed and ferocity only possessed by the strongest animals in the galaxy, Armenia came forth and attacked with both pieces of her staff. Callista used her own weapon to counterattack, preventing any of the blows from reaching her. _She's good, _she thought. _Really good...   
_Eventually, the moment Callista's guard went down, Armenia found the perfect moment, using both pieces of her staff to knock Callista's weapon from her hands. The staff soared through the air and plummeted to the ground below. As Callista, looked over at Armenia in shock, her opponent threw a painful sidekick into her gut, knocking her back, and almost slipping off the parapet. Then, with one of the staff pieces, Armenia smacked it against the side of Callista's head so hard that she fell. The world swam, and Callista involuntarily reached out with both hands, grabbing at the edge of the parapet before she could hit the ground. Her feet dangled helplessly in the air, looking for solid ground. And when she looked up, she saw Armenia standing over her. Lightning flashed from the Force storm, further amplifying her terrifying appearance. She raised both staff pieces into the air, preparing to strike her down once and for all.   
"It's a shame it had to end like this. You were a worthy opponent."   
Suddenly, just when she was about to deliver the final blow, a large piece of hail fell from the sky, striking her on the shoulder hard enough to draw blood. She gasped as one hand went to her wounded shoulder.   
_Perfect timing_, Callista thought, as she planted both feet against the temple wall, groaning as she did so, for this was going to take a lot of energy. She pushed back with all her might, causing her to flip into the air. Just when she completed her flip, and when her feet were high in the air, she brought them back and into Armenia's face as hard as she could, sending her stumbling back. Callista ended up on her feet, still without a weapon, but able to fight again. Armenia wiped blood from her mouth, and she came forth again, snarling.   
"Don't you Jedi ever die?" She readied her two staff pieces. Callista didn't give her the opportunity to strike as her foot came up, kicking one of the staff pieces out of her opponent's hands. As Armenia's eyes followed her weapon's quick descent, Callista kicked her full in the gut, driving her even further back. Armenia groaned, and began twirling her single staff piece, seemingly aiming it at Callista's head.   
With a frustrated cry, Callista formed both hands into a hammerfist and smacked the staff piece out of her opponent's grasp, sending it tumbling down after its counterpart. "Why do you keep fighting?" Callista asked the other woman, her voice no longer angry and even, but exhausted. "Why do you keep doing this? All because of some god? This whole war is pointless. All it does is get people killed!"   
Armenia shook her head. "No, Skywalker. It's more than that. Arak represents everything that is Kerash. Our ancestors have prepared for this day for centuries, and we're not to just stop simply because some outside from the stars tells us to."   
Callista caught a glimpse of her fallen staff from the corner of her eye, lying on the temple steps below the parapet. As she continued speaking to Armenia, the staff began to move. "Arak doesn't care about you," Callista said. "All she cares about is getting out of Raximidaj. If you set her free, she'll only destroy you with the rest of us!"   
"You lie!" Armenia shrieked. "How dare you accuse the Great Arak of such a thing! I ought to kill you right now with my bare hands."   
A loud scream punctured through their conversation, coming from somewhere inside the temple, through every window. Callista and Armenia glanced around in surprise. A child's voice, Callista knew, and very familiar. A second scream told her who it was.   
"Hope," she whispered.  
Armenia seemed to read her mind, and she furiously shook her head. "Oh, no you don't," she said. "You're not going anywhere, Skywalker. The Ritual of the Coming must be carried out!"   
"Look," said Callista, as the staff began heading in her direction. "It's been fun, Armenia, really it has. But I should get going." The staff landed nicely in both hands. As Armenia advanced, Callista brought the staff back and into Armenia's jaw, throwing her back a good distance and crashing into the far parapet wall, loosening several limestone bricks. With Armenia down, Callista now had to save her daughter. Still maintaining a grip on her staff, Callista leaped through the closest window, finding herself in a darkened hallway. Hope screamed a third time, somewhere off to her left. _Hold on, Hope_, Callista thought, as she began heading in that direction. _I'm coming._  
  
Armenia groaned in pain as she stood up, her hand rubbing her sore jaw. Her entire face was one big, bloody mass of pain. Her nose hurt, her mouth hurt, everything hurt. Her fights with Leanna and Callista were now beginning to take their toll on her.   
_Why am I even bothering?_ Armenia thought to herself. _The blood of the Bond surely must have been drawn by now. Even if Skywalker got to the Main Hall in time, she would already be too late...   
No, you idiot!_ whispered another voice, a voice she had never heard before. _Go after her! Kill her! Rip her guts out and paint them all over the temple walls. You know you want to, after what she did to you...   
_Armenia shook her head, as if doing that would ward the voice away, but it returned, even stronger and more evil than before. _Go after her, now! Or else I'll personally take the pleasure in cutting your heart out and shoving it down your throat. Callista...must...DIE!_ _She must NOT get to the Main Hall. We need more time.   
_"Yes," Armenia whispered, her voice coming out dull and lifeless, like that of a zombie. "Yes...she must die. She must not get to the Main Hall. We need more time." With the voice renewing her with an endless amount of strength, Armenia bound through the window Callista had gone through, and went after the Jedi Knight.  
  
Kara twisted the knife into her sister's hand. The blade struck a nerve and Hope's fingers spasmed wildly with the stimulus. Hope screamed, and Kara's lips parted in a feral smile.   
"So how is Mother these days? I heard Daddy isn't giving out much, so she's moved on to other prospects. Do you know anything, sweet Hope? Maybe you know something about the little brother you're not going to have. Eh? Anything?"   
Through her frightened tears, Hope shook her head violently. "I don't know anything! You're lying!"   
Kara twisted the knife again, and Hope's fingers spasmed. "Come on! You're so special, you must know everything! Why else would Mommy love you so much?"   
Hope cried out again, terrified and confused at what her fingers were doing. Kara looked down at her sister's hand, in mock-dismay. Her eyes met Hope's again, filled with concern. "Is that hurting you, dearest sister? Maybe I should start someplace else!" As she said the words, Kara ripped the knife brutally from Hope's hand and raised it high above her head. "Did you know a slit throat can kill you in seconds?"   
She pressed the knife against Hope's jugular, tracing the edge lightly against her skin. One more erg of force would slice Hope's neck. "Let's see exactly how many it will take!"   
"Kara!"   
Kara swung around, her hair whirling around her face as the Coming and the Force storm intensified. Lightning crashed, illuminating the dark sky. Kara smiled pleasantly, releasing her hold on Hope's wrist.   
"Mommy!" Hope cried. Callista stood ten feet away, staring down at them from a pyramid of fallen stone. Her eyes fixed with Hope's, for just an instant. _Stay there_, Hope. _Everything's okay now_. Then she stared at Kara, and leapt down to the stone floor without a word.   
"Mother," Kara said, as if Callista had just entered a room where Kara had been talking about her. "What a nice surprise. Hope and I were just catching up on recent...gossip. Is it true that our little brother isn't coming anymore?"   
"Stop it, Kara." Callista said evenly. "That has nothing to do with you. What does is what ever the hell you're doing to Hope, and how it's going to stop now."   
Kara scoffed. "And what are you going to do, Mommy Dearest? Are you going to kill me? Huh? Kill me and live like a cripple the rest of your pathetic life?" She stuck her face close to Callista's. "Face it, Mother. You need me. I'm practically keeping you alive, aren't I? That's right--I die and you go back to being a nobody who used to move things with her mind."   
Callista brought her fist up to strike Kara to the floor, but her hand stayed, faltered. Kara didn't flinch. She just smiled, and nodded like she understood. "It's nice, isn't it? That power coursing through you like it's your own blood." Her face transformed again, into utter hatred. "Well, guess what, Mother: That's my blood, and my power!"   
Callista lowered her hand, stared at the hand that used to be Cray's the veins that trafficked her own blood, mixed with Kara's. "I've given you everything you wanted! You made a mistake, and Kara fixed it for you! I made you what you are! Why won't you love me?" Kara screamed furiously.   
Callista looked at Kara. "I _do_ love you, Kara. That's what tears you up inside. You can't deal with the fact that you are loved...because that's what sheds light into darkness. You can't be completely evil while you're loved. It means you lose power. It means you lose."   
Kara shook her head. "No! I will not be defeated! I am evil! I will always win!" She raised her dagger again, preparing to bring it down.   
Callista anticipated her move and caught her wrist before she could plunge knife into her heart. The two women circled, not releasing each other. As they danced, Callista saw a figure out of the corner of her eye. The figure lurched over the same pyramid she had, toting a long, glistening spear.   
Armenia.   
"Hope!" Callista screamed. "Get down!"   
Armenia raised her spear, and hurled it at Kara and Callista. Callista leapt into the air and caught the spear, and brought it down as she landed.  
Everything happened with blinding speed, and it wasn't until she felt a stinging pain in her chest that she knew she'd been hit. Her eyes met Kara's--they were wide with shock.   
Kara coughed, and blood stained her lips.   
The spear had impaled Kara.   
And Kara's knife had found Callista's heart.


	21. The Sacrifice

Chapter 21  
  
"This is getting us nowhere!" Luke shouted over to Kieran as he shattered a Kerash's battle-ax in half with his lightsaber. He swept his blade across the man's left leg, cleaving it cleanly off just above the knee. The man screamed as he fell to the ground, grasping at his cauterized stump. "There seems to be no end to this fight!"   
"I know, sir!" shouted Kieran back as he engaged another Kerash with his mace. With amazing strength, he swung the spiked club toward his opponent's face, which the Kerash evaded. Seconds later, Kieran brought the mace smashing into the back of the man's legs, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground. As he fell, Kieran brought the mace down upon him, smashing open his stomach. As Luke, Kieran, the rest of the rebels engaged the Kerash in a battle that seemingly had no end in sight, Luke felt a sudden chill in his heart. In his mind, he could hear the screams of his daughter...and his wife.   
"Callista?" he said aloud, stopping in place. He felt her pain, her terror, and in his mind's eye, he saw her, blood running down her chest as someone stabbed her with a knife--   
"No!" Luke shouted, as another Kerash came at him from the side. Luke was so taken by the Force disturbance that he didn't even see the Kerash coming. Kieran did, however, and he smacked the man up the chin with his weapon, knocking the Kerash flat on his back. He looked over at Luke, more concerned than angry.   
"Don't slack off on us now, sir," he said, then noticed Luke's stunned expression. "Is something wrong?"   
"It's Callista," Luke said. "I can feel her."   
Luke had his full attention. "Where is she? Is the Fyorga in danger?"   
Luke nodded. "She's in pain...I have to go to her." He turned to Kieran. "I have an idea. We've been fighting outside for far too long. We need to take the fight into the temple. Callista's in there, and she's trying to stop the ritual."   
"And she needs our help," Kieran said as realization dawned on his face. He nodded. "Very well, sir. Lead the way."   
Luke paved a way through the crowd of Kerash with his lightsaber, sending a single thought to each and every rebel still standing. _Follow me. We're going inside the temple._ Within seconds, the rebels began pushing through the Kerash. Some fell, but others kept going, killing any Kerash who barred their way. Luke himself cut down warrior after warrior, focusing on nothing more than getting to his wife and daughter in time.   
_The blood... The fire...   
_They headed straight for the temple.  
  
Llia watched as the direction of the fighting changed. The rebels, led by the man armed with the strange green light-sword, stopped fighting the Kerash, and began heading for the Temple of Arak. They easily tore through what was left of the front gate, and began pounding away at the entrance door. Others began scaling the walls, finding their ways inside through the temple windows. Enraged, the Kerash followed them in hot pursuit.   
Llia remained at her sister's side all throughout the battle, never taking her eyes off her. Leanna was still moving, but barely. Her eyes remained closed, as if she were asleep. "Lea?" she asked weakly, shaking her sister. "Lea, are you still there? Please, get up. You have to get up. We have to stop Armenia before..."   
Her sister coughed up more blood, and her eyes weakly opened, glassy and unfocused. She smiled when she saw her little sister. "Llia..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "My sweet little Llia. I have waited for so many years to see your beautiful face again. And now...I've finally found you...only to lose you again." She coughed, blood flecking from the edges of her mouth. "I love you so much."   
Llia smiled through the curtain of tears. "And I love you, Lea." She gripped her sister's shoulders tightly. "But listen to me. You are not going to die. You hear me? You're too strong for that. I won't let you die. You can't die."   
But deep down inside, she knew that she was lying to herself. Her sister's eyes began to dim, as if the light inside those ice-blue irises were slowly being switched off. "Llia...I need you to do something for me."   
Llia nodded. "What? Tell me. I'll do anything."   
Leanna's hand began to move. Her fingers twitched, and she groaned, as if it hurt to do so. With incredible difficulty, she managed to dig into her pants pocket and withdrew a small, metallic thing. It was in a shape of a cylinder, unlike anything Llia had ever seen before.   
"I want you to have this," Leanna said, offering it to her sister. Llia nodded as she took the cylinder, closely examining it.   
"What is it?" she asked in puzzlement.   
"A lightsaber," Leanna replied softly, her voice strained. "The weapon of a Jedi Knight. Dad gave it to me when I was a child. He got it from an old Jedi Master. No weapon in the galaxy is a match for it."   
"What...What do you want me to do with it?" Llia asked.   
Leanna's voice grew slightly louder. "I want you to use it to kill Armenia."   
Llia's eyes widened in horror. "Wha-What?" she gasped. There was no way she could ever hope to take on her cousin, with or without a lightsaber. "But...I can't. You saw what she did to you, Lea. She'd cut me into little pieces before I could even--"   
"You must," Leanna coughed, clasping her sister's tiny hand. "Or else she'll just carry out the ritual, and it'll be too late. Please...I know it's hard for you, and I hate having to put you through this...but it's the only way. I can't fight Armenia anymore, and the Jedi woman will need help." Her voice softened, as her eyes lost focus. "Promise me that you'll do it, Llia."   
Llia looked down at the cylinder. "How...How do I turn it on?" she asked.   
Leanna's finger rested upon a small red button on the cylinder's side. "Just press that, and it will activate the energy blade," she whispered. "Promise me, Llia."   
The little girl nodded, without even thinking. "Okay," she said. "I'll do it for you, Lea. I'll kill her...I'll kill her good." She reached over and kissed her sister gently on the forehead, as if afraid she might bruise her skin. "Do you promise to still be awake when I come back?" Leanna nodded with a weak smile. "I will, Llia. I promise...I promise..." Llia stood up, fingering the lightsaber with one hand. Casting one last glance at her sister, Llia smiled, and headed up the temple steps. As she left, Leanna's body shuddered a final time, then went limp.  
  
Kara's hand fell from Callista's chest, tearing the dagger free. Her knees buckled and she fell on her back, taking Callista with her. Callista grunted with the pain, and took a deep breath. _It hurts so much..._   
Kara smiled. "It does, doesn't it? Now you know how it feels to have your heart ripped out by someone you love."   
Callista shook her head. "Kara..." She reached out her hands and touched her daughter's wound, which was now gushing blood.   
Kara weakly batted her hands away. "Don't touch me, bitch!" She spat, blood accompanying her words as they left her mouth. Callista ignored Kara's protests, and pressed her hands into Kara's blood, trying to stop it from leaving her body.   
Trying to save her life.   
_It's never anyone you expect,_ Callista thought, for the first time remembering what Geith had told her over thirty years ago, when Kara had first gone missing and was believed dead. _There's nothing you can do to change what has happened...all you can do is make do with it and learned what is to be learned. That's why I think people die...not to die but to teach others something.   
_She stared at her daughter now, feeling her own life seeping away. Their eyes were locked, and a thousand conversations passed between them, but only Callista could speak:   
"Kara, I'm so sorry for the pain I've caused you. I love you, my dear daughter, always and always, ever and ever."   
Kara's body spasmed in her death throes, and a single tear trickled down her cheek. Callista touched her cheek, then pressed her hand to Kara's forehead. "Go...go to your father now. He's waiting for you, on the Other Side." She knew that as she said this, she was accepting her own excommunication from the Force. But she also knew that her exile would be brief, as her own life ended.  
Movement caught her eyes. Callista raised her head, saw a shimmering blue form above her.   
Geith.   
His blue eyes shone as he held his hand out to them. Callista looked back at Kara, and said, "Your father's here to take you now. Go with him. You've been redeemed, Kara. You're free of the darkness."   
As Kara's eyes lost focus, she muttered, "Mother..."   
Then she was gone. Callista looked up again as Geith's form faded away from her sight. She saw just enough to see a second form beside him. When she looked down, Kara's body lay motionless, bereft of life. Callista lifted her hands from Kara's chest, looked at the blood on her fingers. She felt the power of the Force start to drain away.   
A shock of pain tore through her failing heart. She clutched at her chest with her hands, the blood mixing. As it did, she felt the flow of the Force cease in its retreating stream, and change direction...   
...back to her.   
It was returning.   
As the Force filled her again, the pain in her heart began to subside, and the hole in her chest closed. Her strength returned, and she stood. Armenia still stood there, in awe of what had happened.   
"Behold the Power of the Light Side of the Force," Callista said.  
  
"So, meditating again, huh? You do that too often."   
"You should try it sometime, you'd be surprised at what it can do for you."   
Tired blue eyes glanced at the ceiling as their owner thought, _Meditate, huh? Might as well give it a shot. _Weakly, he struggled into a sitting position. Breathing heavily, he thought, _Meditating might be the only thing I can do for a while, I don't have the strength for anything else.   
_Remembering what his sister taught him, he closed his eyes and rested his hands on his legs.  
  
Opening her eyes, Leanna looked around to see nothing but darkness. Feeling the cool smooth texture of the floor under her hand, she sat up thinking, _Where am I?_   
Standing up, she gasped when there was no pain from her wounds. _I must be dead.   
_Spinning on her heel, she tried to study her surroundings, but still couldn't see more than a foot into the blackness. Standing with her arms crossed over her chest, foot tapping against the floor Leanna said, "So this is where you go when you die? I'm not impressed. Where's the light at the end of the tunnel?"   
Suddenly, a bright white light appeared at the end of the 'hall.'   
"I'm still not impressed," she mumbled. Shrugging her shoulders she slowly walked towards it when she heard someone groan, "Not this place, again." Standing still, Leanna thought in shock, _It can't be..... it just can't._ Turning around, she called unbelieving, "Benjamin?" She clenched her hands. _Bully. Why do you have to make being dead harder on me then it already is? And he better not be dead too, because if he is, I swear, I'm going right to the person in charge of this place._   
"Lea? Is that you?" he asked, as he took a step toward her and said, "How did you get here? If this is where you go every time when you meditate, I think I'll stop right now. I've seen this place too many times for comfort."   
Leanna's eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she exclaimed, "You meditate? Since when?"   
Shrugging his shoulders he replied, "Since I woke up from my coma. By the way, how's Llia? Did you find her yet? And why are you here? Are you meditating again?" Looking at him with confused eyes she asked, "How..."   
Chuckling, he interrupted, "How did I know about Llia? I could hear you when you were talking to me in that hospital, I just couldn't respond."   
Slightly smiling she shook her head, "Well, I did find her. I think she'll make it through, she's pretty smart."   
Nodding, he replied, "Of course, she will, she'll have us with her. So are you meditating, or what? Why are you here?"   
Shuffling her feet she whispered, "Well.... I.... I'm...."   
Resting his left hand on her shoulder, he looked at her with concerned eyes and asked, "Lea?"   
Looking straight into his eyes she said bluntly, "I'm dead."   
Benjamin looked at her dumbfounded. "Wh-what?" he asked breathless and unbelieving. "No, you can't be dead. I only just woke up. You just can't be dead. Besides, if you were _dead_ dead you already be in the light when you first appeared. I know, I've watched it happen enough times," he rambled on.   
"You mean you've watched it happen?"   
Running a had through his hair, he explained, "Throughout all...this, I've been stuck here, between life and death. Some people who are _dead_, dead appear in the light. Others appear where you came in and then walk towards the light, which internal death, and others walk the other way, towards life."   
"So all I have to do is choose? I didn't think it would be that simple. Besides," she continued, "my heart has stopped beating."   
"That's why you have to fight to be alive. That's the struggle philosophers talk about. But right now, it's all a matter of what you choose." Laying a hand on his shoulder, Leanna said, "Ben, the knife went through my back, cut my spine in half and lodged in my heart. If I do fight to live, I would need medical attention that there's no hope of getting, even then it would take a miracle."   
"Then where are you? Physically I mean." He was getting desperate, and they both knew it.   
Sighing, she replied, "Anasazi."   
He was clutching at straws he knew it, she knew it, but at least it felt like they were doing something. "Maybe I can reach a medic or something..."   
Rolling her eyes, she replied, "It would take days to reach here. And do you remember our homeword coordinates anyway? I guarantee that no one else will know it. Besides do you even have the strength to get out of bed?"   
"I have to do something!" he cried. "You're my sister!"   
Squeezing his shoulder a little she said, "Its too late, brother, its too late."   
Tears building in his eyes, he said, "It can't be too late! Isn't there anyone there that can help you?"   
Shaking her head, she replied, "They are all busy fighting, right now."   
"Then you just have to hold on until they are done fighting." He demanded, his eyes shining bright with determination.   
"I don't think that will happen," Leanna said, tears beginning to form. Pulling her into a hug, he whispered, "You have to try Lea, please, I can't stand losing another family member."   
Burying her head in his chest she mumbled, "But my heart has stopped."   
"You can make it start again."   
He hit her shoulder gently to relieve some of the tension. "You're a Kai, use that bullheadedness of ours."   
"I prefer to call it tenacity." Leanna crossed her arms.   
"Whatever you call it, use it," her brother said crossing his own arms. "Exactly how am I supposed to fight my body back to life and get my heart to start beating again?" Shrugging his shoulder he replied, "I'm not sure..." Pointing to the flickering blue light that was connected to her he said, "See that small thread of light?"   
After seeing her nod, he proceeded. "That connects you to your body. The reason its flickering like that is because you are on the verge of staying dead, so you'll have a tough battle ahead of you, but you can do it. Just follow that strand. Once you get to your body, I'm not sure what you have to do. Who knows, maybe meditating will work."   
Looking her brother straight in the eyes, she said, "You do understand, this might not work."   
Growling, Benjamin, threw his arms up in the air, exclaiming, "Will you stop thinking like that? If you think like that, of course its not going to happen. Think that it will succeed, and it will." Privately he was thinking, I hope so anyway. Putting his hands on her shoulders he continue, "Listen to what your saying, Lea, you're not being yourself. The Leanna Kai I knew would never give up, no matter how grim the situation."   
She looked away, scowling and a little indignant. "Well, maybe I'm not the Leanna you knew. It's been awhile you realize," she said looking back up at him coldly.   
Looking at her with pleading eyes, he said," Please Lea, you're a Kai, start acting like it. Don't give up. You may not be the same person that I used to know, but I can tell that you still have the same fighting spirit as you did then. I can see it in your eyes. You just have let it free, or reunite with it, whatever you want to say. I know you can win this battle. Please, Lea."   
Her brother had a pleading tone in his voice that she wasn't used to hearing. She could feel his eyes boring into the top of her head. Heaving a large sigh, she came to a conclusion. "All right, I'll do it."   
Smiling slightly he said, "Thank you, Lea, thank you."   
A frown creased his forehead. "Darn, I think someone is trying to wake me up." As he started to fade out he called to her. "Remember, don't give up--and good luck!"   
After her brother disappeared she whispered, "Thanks, I'll need it." Looking at the flickering strand of light she said, "I'll try, I just don't know if I'll succeed."   
As she took her first step following the strand, she thought, _Since when did our family believe in luck_?   
  
For a moment, Callista couldn't breathe, as she stood in the midst of the Great Hall, the wound in her chest now gone, as if it had never been. Rain poured down from the open ceiling, further soaking her. But she barely felt it. All she could feel was a huge burden being lifted from her shoulders. She looked down at Kara's lifeless, blood-soaked body, now one with the Force.   
Her daughter's suffering had finally ended.   
"Rest in peace, Kara," she whispered softly.   
"Mommy?" Hope said weakly, looking at her mother in awe, at her chest, where she no longer bled from where Kara had stabbed her. She reached out with one weak, bleeding hand toward her. "Mommy, are you okay?"   
Callista smiled as she went to her daughter, summoning the Force and ripping through the chains holding Hope prisoner. Hope collapsed in her arms, crying in relief. "Shhhh," Callista soothed softly, stroking her daughter's beautiful brown hair. "It's okay, my dear. You'll be fine now. Everything is all right..."   
"Is she really dead?" Hope suddenly asked, glancing at what was left of Kara's corpse, her voice still tinged with fear.   
Callista nodded. "Yes. She's at peace now."   
_And so am I..._ she thought to herself as she kissed her daughter on the cheek. She stood Hope up, holding her by one hand. The little girl's legs wobbled, but Callista steadied her. "Come on. We have to get out of here."   
But as they began heading for the entrance door, Armenia stepped in their way, the only obstacle left between them and freedom.   
"You're not going anywhere, Skywalker."   
"What is the meaning of all this?" shouted Tsin from the altar. "Don't worry, Tsin," Armenia said confidently, glaring daggers at Callista and Hope. "Everything will be taken care of momentarily."   
Callista's hand tightened around Hope's, as she sent a thought out to her through the Force. _Hope, I want you to get out of here and find your Daddy. And stay with him until this is all over._   
Hope looked up at her, horrified. _But...what about you? I'm not leaving you here! Trust me_, Callista thought softly. _Armenia won't stop coming after me. I have to defeat her once and for all._ She gazed down at her beautiful daughter, one of the two people in her life who was her reason for living, and smiled. _Be safe, Hope.   
_Hope barely nodded, as she said a silent goodbye, and dashed out of the Main Hall, moving as fast as her small, chubby legs would allow her. Armenia didn't even try to stop her.   
"Are you ready to die, Skywalker?" asked Armenia in a menacing voice.   
Callista looked down at the staff she held in one hand, and saw that Armenia was unarmed. It didn't seem to bother her in the least. "Fine, Armenia," she said, not even bothering to reason with her. If she wanted a fight, then she was going to get one. "You want me? Then you'll have to come and get me."   
Armenia sneered. "Let's play a game, shall we? Capture the Jedi. The object of the game?" She hesitated as she inched closer to her opponent. "Take a wild guess."   
Callista nodded--and took off running. She ran right past Armenia, despite the woman's angry protests, and practically flew through the open doorway, out into a darkened hallway. She saw that Hope was already gone, and she silently prayed that she would make it to Luke in time. A Kerash guard stepped in her way, throwing a predictable kick for her side. Callista's arm went down to intercept the leg, and she punched him in the gut. The guard reeled, and she grabbed him by the collar of his robe, and threw him through the closest window. Callista could hear footsteps from behind as Armenia began to catch up with her. Thinking fast, she went to the window where she had thrown the Kerash guard, and poked her head out. Her eyes quickly scanned the outside, when she saw a ladder off to her left, leading up to the next floor of the temple. The sounds of battle seemed closer to her than before, and as she looked down, she saw that the fighting had moved away from the original battlfield, as the rebels attacked the temple itself, and the Kerash tried to stop them.   
Through it all, she saw Luke, fighting off hordes of Kerash with his lightsaber as he led the rebels into the temple. With no time to lose, Callista forced her entire body through the opening. A powerful gust of wind pushed at her body, and she almost fell, but her hands reached out and gripped the rungs of the ladder just in time. Once she had steadied herself, she started to climb up. She could hear Armenia coming after her. _Good, _she thought. If Armenia wanted to keep fighting, then she was going to have to play by Callista's rules,whether she wanted to or not. She was going to take their fight to the temple rooftop, into the heart of the Force storm.  
Armenia watched as Callista leaped through the window, and began ascending up the wooden, rickety ladder. "Oh, clever, clever girl," she said aloud, knowing that her opponent wouldn't hear her. "I know what you're up to, believe me." Armenia knew of a shortcut to the temple roof. If she hurried, she could be there before Callista. The voice that had been taunting her earlier, telling her to kill Callista, was now gone. It had happened sometime around when Callista had killed that Kerash priest in the Main Hall. Armenia had no idea what had happened to it, but she had a feeling that it would not return. She was still up to full strength, but she knew that she couldn't continue to draw strength from this "voice" again. She would have to make this fight count. Feeling her muscles sing at the thought of confronting Callista again, Armenia began running.  
  
Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka continued to sit stoically around the dead campfire, their eyes still glowing with pure blue light, as they continued to feed the Force storm over the Kerash temple. In his mind's eye, Jacen saw Aunt Callista climbing up a ladder, heading upwards, closer to the Force storm. Then he saw another woman, with white skin and black hair, rushing up a flight of stairs that led to the roof. Something inside him said that this woman was bad, and she wanted to hurt Aunt Callista.   
"They're getting closer to the Force storm," Jaina said. The voice that came out of her mouth was her own, mixed in with the voice that had spoken to them in their dreams, as the Force itself merged with themselves.   
Jacen nodded. "We have to make it stronger. So that this bad lady will die."   
"We must not harm your aunt," Tenel Ka added. "She is of the light. The darkness must be annihilated."   
  
Callista finally reached the next floor of the temple. As she stood to her feet, she got a good look at her surroundings.   
There was a bridge that towered over deep chasm and connected another part of the temple rooftop, as well as a flight of steps that led downward. She saw another wall, several feet away from her, with a door leading inside somewhere, and two ladders going up, leading to the highest part of the Kerash temple, where the Force storm raged in all its beauteous glory, covering over half of the rooftop. Callista smiled._ Excellent_, she thought. The winds blew stronger here than ever before, and she had a difficult time steadying herself, but she managed to hold her own.   
As she began to run, she saw Armenia burst through the door in the wall, quickly scanning the area. The wind blew at her hair and robes, causing her to shield her face as she continued searching. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Callista, and she headed toward her without a moment's hesitation. Callista came towards Armenia as well, and waited for Armenia to strike the first blow. She did, and Callista ducked the punch, and swung her staff across Armenia's face. Her jaw cracked, and the woman was knocked back against the wall. _Stay there_, thought Callista, as she headed for the leftmost ladder, intending to climb up to the very top, into the core of the Force storm. Armenia could never hope to fight her up there. When she was almost there, Callista cried out as the heel of Armenia's boot struck her firmly in the upper back. She fell over, grabbing onto the lower rungs of the ladder to prevent from falling to the ground. She remembered her earlier battle with Armenia in the arena, how she had fallen, giving the Kerash woman the perfect opportunity to pummel her. _I'll lose if I fall...   
_She heard Armenia approach from behind, and she pushed back against the ladder rungs, steadying herself back to her feet. She spun to her left, and slammed the end of the staff into Armenia's midsection. The woman grunted in pain, and Callista's staff smacked her again, this time hitting her in the jaw.   
As Callista prepared for another blow, Armenia's fist met her face, and she staggered backShe lost her grip on the staff, and it went tumbling over the chasm. Callista cursed and went over to the bridge, careful not to step too hard on the old, rickety planks of wood. She looked over the bridge, and saw her staff. It had landed on the lower floor of the temple, far from her reach. Callista focused on the staff itself, imagining an invisible hand snatching it, and bringing it back to her.   
Within seconds, the weapon lifted from the air, and began propelling itself toward Callista, slightly buckling out of her grip due to the wind. What she didn't see until it was too late was Armenia foot hitting her in the face as the Kerash woman attacked her from behind. Stars exploded in her head, and Callista felt herself being knocked down, farther down the bridge. The staff stopped its slow ascension, and fell right back down, landing somewhere behind Armenia and Callista. Callista scrambled to her feet, trying not to be overwhelmed by her ever- increasing panic, as Armenia strode forth and landed a powerful uppercut to her jaw. Callista staggered, and a second punch twisted her to the right, almost knocking her off the bridge. She mantained her balance, and spun around, ffacing the Kerash woman. With a leap, Callista brought both feet back and into Armenia's face, driving her back. The Kerash recovered within moments, and tried to throw another blow for her face. Callista ducked, and moved behind her opponent, and delivered a kick to the spine before she could turn around. The impact drive Armenia forward, and she barely managed to stabilize herself. That gave Callista just enough time to run. She sprinted across the bridge, and headed back to the ladders leading to the top of the temple. The Force storm continued to bring rain and lightning down upon the earth. The winds seemed stronger than ever, almost knocking Callista off her feet.   
She finally reached the ladder, and began climbing. Armenia followed after her in hot pursuit, also struggling against the chaotic winds. But something in her--a fierce, fiery determination to kill Callista once and for all--made her able to withstand anything the Force storm could throw at her.   
Sometimes, human resolve was the strongest power in the galaxy.  
As Callista climbed, Armenia came up to her, and her fist sank into Callista's gut. She gasped, but didn't let go, and sent her foot flying in Armenia's face, causing her to spin around. As she tottered back, off- balance, Callista landed back on her feet, and kicked her opponent firmly in the center of the back, causing her to hit the wall, and dropping her to her knees. As she turned to run, Callista felt Armenia's hand reach out and snatch her wrist. The Kerash woman, still determined not to let her opponent go, stood up, and pulled Callista back. With a firm grip on her arm, she punched her hard in the stomach. The blow felt more like a hammer than a fist, and it took Callista's breath away. She threw her own fist into Armenia's gut in reply, and performed an acrobatic backflip, both feet smashing into Armenia's face as they sailed upwards int the air.   
The blow was so strong that Armenia was knocked cleanly off her feet and onto her back. With the woman down, Callista returned to the ladder, and resumed climbing. Her foot almost slipped off on one rung, but she kept moving, her eyes fixated on the temple rooftop, where the storm waited for her and Armenia.   
_Come on, you bitch_, Callista thought. _Come and get me, if you can_.   
Seconds later, Armenia did just that.   
She leaped back up, and went over to the other ladder. She began climbing up after Callista with incredible speed, despite the powerful winds that tore at her body, ripping great holes into her black robe. She moving so fast that Callista was having a hard time staying ahead of her. The rooftop was now only a few rungs away.   
_Come on, come on, _Callista thought, feeling sweat slide down her feet. Her teeth gnashed together as she willed herself to climb faster. _Come on, you're almost there. You can do it...   
_She saw movement from the corner of her eye, as well a large, black shape, and when she turned, and saw Armenia, on the other ladder beside, now both on the same footing. Lightning broke from the sky, illuminating the woman's blood-soaked face. "Surprise, Callista!" she snarled, as she threw a kick into Callista's ribs. Callista yelled out when she felt one of her ribs--or maybe two, she couldn't tell--snap under the impact. She lost her grip on the ladder, and she tumbled back down to the earth. She had enough sense left in her to stop her plummet with the Force, and she landed on her feet rather than on her back...not that it helped the fiery pain in her ribs any. Something hit the ground behind her. Callista whirled and saw her opponent land gracefully behind her, a look of triumph in her dragon-green eyes. The two women rushed each other, and Armenia was knocked to one side with a powerful high-kick to the temple. She recovered instantly, as if she hadn't even felt the blow, and threw one of her own kicks. Callista predicted the attack, and blocked it with her arm. Another kick, and again it was blocked. Armenia tried a different approach, and aimed a jab for the neck. Callista raised her hands to block it-- When she remembered the arena fight. Armenia had used the same blow against it when the duel had begun, and it had been a feint--   
Even as she realized what her opponent was planning, it still did no good when Armenia shot her other fist forward, landing painfully in Callista's belly, on her scar. Callista doubled over in pain, and she couldn't fight back as Armenia grabbed her by one arm, spun her around, and delivered a powerful knee to the back, knocking her forward. Callista hit the ground on the moments later, flat on her face, a few mere inches away from the chasm.   
For a split second, she couldn't get up. Her back throbbed with pain from where Armenia's knee had struck her. Slowly, she began to rise on her elbows, knowing that she had to continue the fight- -  
--when she saw Armenia stand over her, brandishing Callista's staff. As Callista rose quickly to her knees, she felt one end of the golden weapon strike her squarely in the left shoulder, hitting a nerve, causing her to roll out of control, and over the chasm. Callista's other hand reached out at the last minute, gripping at the edge of the temple rooftop, preventing herself from falling...at least for now. Her other arm was numb with pain. She wouldn't be able to move it for a few minutes.   
And by then... She looked up and saw the leader of the Kerash standing over her, her booted feet near the edge of the roof. She still held the staff in both hands, as she looked down upon Callista with mock-pity. Then, without a single word spoken, she brought the staff down upon her. Callista moved aside at the last minute, the staff sailing past her left ear. Armenia brought the weapon back, and tried again, and twice Callista evaded it. When she began to move back into place, she felt the tip of the staff strike her dead-on in the face. An immense wave of pain crashed into her skull, causing everything around her to disappear in a white flash of light. Callista felt her nose break even more, blood streaming down her skin. She almost lost her grip on the roof, but managed to hold on, but only the tips of her fingers. Armenia was taking her time, watching as Callista slowly lost the battle.   
_Some Jedi I turned out to be_, Callista thought bitterly, feeling herself start to slip. The ground below seemed so far away. _I've been bested by a person who can't even use the Force...twice.   
_Her eyes focused on the dark sky, toward the eclipse.   
_Luke, Hope...I'm sorry I failed you...   
You haven't failed yet, my child, _Djinn's voice whispered soothingly. _You cannot just give up. A true Jedi never gives up in a battle, no matter how hopeless it seems. Let the Force flow through you, Callista...flow through you...   
_Another voice whispered in her head. The same voice Callista had heard in her trance.   
The voice of the Force.   
_Let me guide you, Callista. Let my powers flow through your body, through your soul...The light will conquer the darkness...   
_Callista suddenly felt her strength return to her. The pain in her shoulder stopped, and she could feel the numbness in her arm wear off. The sheer agony in her ribs and face subsided. She was still badly injured, but she could fight again. As Armenia raised the staff high into the air, ready to swing the final blow that would send her opponent plummeting to her death below, Callista placed her feet against the wall of the temple, and pushed back. She flipped through the air, and slammed both feet into the woman's face.   
Armenia cried out as she was sent reeling back, the staff leaving her hands. Callista was on her feet again, facing Armenia, a cold, steely look on her face. The Kerash warrior looked at her in surprise, then swung her fist in her direction. Callista's arm shot up, knocking the blow aside. At the same time, she called upon the Force, and lifted Armenia into the air, an invisible cord wrapped around her neck, and tightening. Armenia choked as she dangled helplessly in the air, her eyes almost exploding from their sockets. With a single push through the Force, Callista tossed her back through the air. Into the storm. Callista watched as Armenia screamed and disappeared into the dark blue- black clouds, landing somewhere on the highest tower of the temple. She reached over and pulled the staff off the ground, and raced after her, leaping high into the air, almost as if she was flying. She felt her body hit the cold clouds almost immediately, and all the air left her body. The wind tore at her from all sides, as rain pelted her body. Lightning passed her, too close to her liking. She finally landed on her feet on the highest rooftop of the Kerash temple. She could make out the outline of a large opening in the roof, and she realized that she was standing atop the ceiling of the Main Hall.   
And there, standing several feet in front of her, being tormented by the powerful winds of the Force storm, was Armenia. The Kerash warrior was screaming to the point where she almost shattered her vocal cords, as wind battered her body, and rain and hail smashed down upon her. She didn't seem to notice Callista at all. Callista ran forth with her staff, surprised at how hard it was to move in the center of the blinding storm. A loud burst of thunder startled her, but she kept moving, until she directly in front of Armenia. The warrior's eyes widened when she saw her, and she was barely able to dodge an attack with the staff. Callista spun, and brought one end down, and up, this time hitting Armenia directly in the chin, splitting open a large gash. She struck a third time, but Armenia ducked the attack, and the brutal winds almost tore the weapon free from the Jedi's hands. She watched as Armenia stood back up, and threw a punch for her face. The blow struck her in the jaw, slowed down by the winds. But the impact of the punch was still able to knock her to one side, and with the combined might of the winds hitting her body--   
--caused her to loose her footing and begin falling down the ceiling opening. Callista cursed, and reached out with one hand, determined to grab something--anything--to prevent from falling. She ended up snatching Armenia by one hand and pulled the Kerash warrior down with her. The two combatants fell, leaving the Force storm, as they toppled back into the Main Hall.  
  
"Come on!" Luke shouted, as the mob of rebels burst through the entrance door, and found themselves in the Kerash temple. The only light that illuminated the large chamber was a few torches mounted on the smooth, limestone walls. Luke used his lightsaber to guide him, as he and the rebels began storming the temple. Almost immediately, a hail of arrows came from above, catching the group by surprise. One rebel next to Luke went down with an arrow to the breastbone, while another was hit in the chest. "Take cover!" Kieran shouted.   
"Won't be necessary!" Luke replied, as he threw a Force shield around the rebels to protect themselves from the hail of arrows. He could make out the outline of several Kerash archers attacking several floors up, on the balconies. They kept firing, their arrows bouncing harmlessly off the invisible Force shield.   
"We have to get to the Main Hall!" Kieran exclaimed, as the remaining Kerash from outside began pouring into the chamber.   
"Can you show me where it is?" Luke asked over the din.   
The rebel leader nodded. "Follow me!"  
  
Callista had remembered to erect a Force field around her body just before she hit the marbled floor. She let out a wordless gasp as her back bounced off the floor, sending an avalanche of pain down her spine. It took a few moments for her to regain her equilibrium, and she staggered slowly to her feet. As she stood, she looked around the Main Hall, and saw Tsin and the other Kerash priests in a circle, watching as a young man crucified into the far wall sizzled and burned. Callista shuddered, and she heard the smallest amount of movement from behind--the whisper of a robe--and she turned to see Armenia standing behind her, ready to pounce. With only a fraction of her strength, Callista summoned the Force and shoved Armenia away from her. The Kerash woman stumbled back, nearly lost her footing, and steadied herself back up. The two women now stood a good distance apart, both bloodied, bruised, battered, and worn out to sheer exhaustion, but neither willing to go down. Callista glared at her opponent, smoke-grays locking onto emerald-greens, both waiting for the other to make the next move.   
Armenia let out a tired laugh. "You've lost, Skywalker," she said, sounding like a drunken Corellian. "Look around you. You are too late to stop the ritual. Soon, the portal will be opened, and Arak will be free for all time." She managed a few steps toward Callista, ready to continue the fight. "I'm impressed, Skywalker. So far, you've held your own quite well. Much more than in our earlier duel." She smiled. "Perhaps you are not the weakling I thought you were. Unfortunately, time is running out, and I do wish to carry on with this further. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll make your death swift and painless." She lunged at Callista--  
  
Jacen saw the bad woman begin to attack Aunt Callista in his mind. "Guys, we have to do something," he said to Jaina and Tenel Ka. "We can't let that bad lady hurt Aunt Callista."   
Jaina smiled, as she closed her eyes. "Already on it, bro..."  
  
Callista didn't even have time to react to Armenia's advance...but a second later, she realized she didn't need to. As soon as the leader of the Kerash bore down on her, a great wave of lightning shot from the Force storm above them. The hair on Armenia's head and arms lifted from her skin as the bolt traveled from the dark clouds, through the opening in the ceiling, sizzling through the air--   
--and coursing into Armenia. The woman shrieked in agony as the blue-white flames touched her skin, sizzled through her body, and knocked her cleanly off her feet. She went sailing through the air, moving at the speed of a ship going into lightspeed, and impacted the opposite wall, making a hole completely through it, and tumbled to the ground outside. Callista stepped back in surprise, as her brain began to register what had just happened. She looked up at the Force storm, saw it still raging in the black sky.   
"Thanks," she said aloud.   
"Aunt Callista!"   
Callista stopped when she heard her nephew's voice, and she turned to see Anakin, still chained to the wall. She gasped when she realized that in all the commotion with Hope, Kara, and Armenia, she had completely forgotten about her nephew.   
"Anakin!" she shouted, as she ran over to free the little boy. Callista used the Force to shatter the chains that bound Anakin's arms, and she scooped up her nephew in a hug. "Yeah, well, it took you long enough," Anakin said jokingly, and he hugged her back. "Where's Hope?"   
"Hopefully with Luke," Callista said, as she said Anakin down. "But she's safe." She turned and looked back at the circle of priests, who seemed to be in a trance of some sort, for none of them seemed to even notice what was going on. Then she looked back at Anakin. "Anakin, listen to me. I want you to get out of here. Go find Uncle Luke and Hope, and leave this place as quickly as you can. Is that understood?"  
Anakin nodded. "No problem, Aunt Callista."   
Callista smiled, and ruffled his dark brown hair. "Then may the Force be with you, Annie."   
Anakin began to run, but he stopped, and looked back at his aunt, worried. "Aren't you coming with us, Aunt Callista?" he asked hopefully.   
Callista hesitated and glanced over at the hole that Armenia had made. She could still sense the Kerash woman's life-force, still burning brightly, but much dimmer than before. "I will in a minute," she said coldly. "I have one other thing to take care of first."   
Anakin froze, as if sensing that he knew what Callista's intent was. She had no doubts that he knew, but he made no move to stop her. The little boy merely nodded and ran out of the Main Hall, toward safety. Callista's eyes rested upon her staff, which had fallen with her and Armenia. She quickly went over and retrieved it with both hands, and headed for the hole through the wall--where Armenia waited for her. She was going to finish this once and for all.  
  
Hope could feel a stitch forming in her side as she ran, but she forced herself to keep moving. She ran, ran like her life depended on it...and it did. Her nerves burned with fiery, intense pain from where Kara had stabbed her with the knife. Hope bit her lip to stifle another cry, but it was so hard. As she ran, she kept thinking of what Kara had told her. About the brother she would never have, and how Mommy knew about it. At first, she had thought that her sister had been lying to her, but she had seen the guilt shine in Mommy's eyes. Did she know something that Hope didn't? She wished she could have asked her about it before she had left the Main Hall, but she decided to save it when this was all over. _Brother I would never have? What did she mean by that... Daddy!_ she called out through the Force. _Daddy, where are you?!  
_ She heard noises coming from downstairs. It sounded like fighting, with people screaming, and arrows being fired. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Hope began following the scary sounds. She opened a door, and saw a flight of stairs leading downward. A few steps, and Hope could see a huge battle taking place in the large chamber. And there, she saw Daddy, fighting with his lightsaber. Hope felt her heart sing as she found her father, after a long time of not seeing him. She shouted as loud as she could, carrying her voice through the Force.   
"Daddy!" she screamed, as she began running down the stairs. As she ran to be with her father again, she didn't notice the Kerash on the balcony above her as he aimed an arrow at her back...  
  
Callista leaped out of the large hole Armenia had created by crashing through the wall, and found herself outside again. The rain continued pouring down, turning the ground into an ocean of mud. She flipped her soaked hair back, releasing hundreds of tiny raindrops into the air.   
And there was Armenia, groaning as she slowly got to her feet. She did not look good at all. Her face was covered in blood, mud, and rain, all three mixing together in a disgusting potion on her skin. Parts of her skin had blackened from where the lightning had touched her. Her robes were ragged and torn, and one of her arms hung at an unnatural angle. Her hair was unkempt and sticking to her face, and for the first time, Callista realized how pale-white this woman really was. Armenia seemed in no condition to continue the fight...but that didn't mean Callista was going to stop.   
"Armenia!" she shouted over the storm, striding over to her with the staff. The Kerash woman turned to face her, and Callista smacked the staff hard across her face, tearing through the skin on her left cheek, and cutting open the muscle beneath. Armenia staggered back, not making a sound. She slowly began to turn back to Callista, as if trying to strike back, but unable to. She didn't even bother to resist as Callista struck her again.  
  
Tsin watched patiently as the body of Kinshur began to burn away, his flesh turning red with blistering heat growing inside him, then black as it started to sizzle. "Yes," he whispered. "Just as it was written. The portal is opening up within the Vessel. And once the Vessel dies, the portal will be opened." The priests gathered around him nodded in silent agreement. As they watched, Kinshur's agonizied screams died out as his body began to melt. His skin began turning into a black tar-like substance, melting away from his bones. At the center of his chest, a bright blue light began to glow within him.   
"Yesssss," Tsin repeated, feeling a victorious smile part his face. "Open. Open!" Kinshur let out a final scream, and his body continued to melt, dripping slowly to the floor in a mass of black flesh and blood. The Vessel lifted his head up into the air, and whispered, "For Arak..."   
With that, Kinshur breathed his last. The blue white continued to glow bright as it burst from Kinshur's melted chest, now hovering high into the air. As seconds melted away, the vortex opened wider and wider, a swirling blue light that simmered with evil.   
Tsin immediately dropped to one knee, his head staring at the floor. His fellow priests followed suit, as the portal began to hum and move, growing larger and larger until it encompassed the entire chamber.   
The portal had at last been opened...and Arak was entering their world.  


*  


"Daddy!"   
"Hope?" Luke whispered, as he heard his daughter's voice ring throughout the vast chamber, rising even over the deafening battle cries of the Kerash and rebels. He looked around in a frenzy, searching for his daughter. "Hope, can you hear me? Where are you?" "I'm up here!" screamed Hope. Luke turned, and he saw his daughter running down the stairs, a delighted smile on her face. One look at her, and Luke was horrified by her appearance. Her hair was in a disarray, blood stained one of her hands from a large rip in her palm, her clothes were in tatters, and her face was caked with mud, grime, and tears.   
But she still looked beautiful to him. She was still his little angel. And there she was, running quickly down the steps, toward him, her arms stretched out to hug him. Luke smiled as he ran over to scoop his daughter up in her arms--   
--when he saw a Kerash on one of the balconies firing an arrow at Hope from behind.   
"No!" Luke shouted, reacing with lightning reflexes. He flung his lightsaber overhanded in the direction of the Kerash, the green energy blade stabbing the robes man deep into his heart. He lost his grip on his longbow, and he slumped to the ground. Luke called his weapon back into his hand, grabbed Hope and pulled her into the empty space beneath the stairs, wrapping his arms protectively around his little girl.   
"Hope, by the Force, you're okay!" he said, kissing her on the cheek.   
"Daddy!" Hope exclaimed, tears of joy running down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you're here! I thought I'd never get a chance to see you again!"   
"No matter what happens, Hope," Luke said, "I'll always be there for you. No matter what."   
"Can we go home now, Daddy?" Hope asked sadly, as she pulled away from him, gazing sullenly in his eyes. "I hate this place so much. I don't want to stay here anymore." Luke's heart broke when he saw his daughter so distraught. If only it could be that easy, he thought. "I want to go home, too, Hope, as much as you do. But we can't just yet. We still need to help these people. That's what Jedi do. We help people." He placed his hands on her shoulders, quietly comforting her. "But I promise you that we'll be going home very soon."   
Hope nodded, feeling a little better.   
"Sir!" Luke heard Kieran call. "These archers are wiping the floor with my warriors. I need your help in taking them out as soon as possible!"   
Luke nodded at the rebel leader, and turned back to Hope. "Hope, I want you to stay right here in this corner until I get back, okay?" he said. "Don't leave this spot, no matter what happens."   
Hope nodded. "Yes, Daddy. I'll stay right here." She stomped her foot on the ground she was standing on for extra measure.   
Luke smiled, and he hugged his daughter again. "I'll be back soon, my little angel," he said softly. He stood up and went over to Kieran, who patiently waited for him. "Okay, I'm ready. We don't have much time left, do we?"   
Kieran nodded sadly. "I fear that by now, the Kerash have already succeeded in opening the portal. We may not be able to win this after all."   
"We are going to win," Luke said. "Because the Force will be on our side." He glanced back at Hope, who sat down at the corner, nodding over at him in silent support. "If we're going to take out the archers, we need to move now."  
  
The Force storm outside had begun to subside. The winds still blew, and it continued to rain, but a little less harder than earlier before. There was no more thunder, no more lightning. It was as if that whatever power the Force storm was drawing from was beginning to dissipate. Not that it mattered much to the two women who continued fighting outside the temple.   
Callista, having spent the last five or six minutes smacking Armenia left and right with her staff, threw a front-kick into the woman's gut, knocking her down to her knees. Armenia moaned in pain, and looked up at Callista, fear and loathing in her eyes.   
"You must be enjoying this a lot," she said, spitting every word out like rotton meat.   
Callista shrugged as she stepped closer. "Maybe just a little," she replied, as she smashed the staff across her face again. Blood flew out of Armenia's nose as her face twisted to the right. It took her a few seconds to turn back to face her opponent.   
"You can't stop Arak," Armenia snarled, blood dripping from the corner of her left eye. Her body sagged, on the verge of collapsing like a toppled tree.   
"Oh, don't worry about Arak," said Callista. "Her turn will come later." She brought the staff up, and down upon the crown of Armenia's head, opening a large crack on the top of her head, releasing another river of blood.  
  
The Kerash archers were so high up in the balconies that it seemed impossible to scale the walls to reach them. As Luke and Kieran went up the steps until they were standing right under the first balcony, the Jedi Master knew that scaling the wall wouldn't be necessary. With an incredible boost from the Force, Luke leaped high into the air, with the grace of skill of a trained acrobat, and landed on the rail of the balcony. The Kerash archer cried out in surprise and stepped back. Not even giving him a chance to react, Luke leaped off the rail, grabbed the man by one arm, and threw him none-too-gently off the balcony, where he tumbled into the mass of fighters below. His companion protested angrily, even as Luke snatched the longbow from his hands, smacked the Kerash across the face with it, and threw him down after his friend. Neither of them were dead, he knew, but they sure wouldn't be getting up for a long while.   
"Sir!" Kieran called from down below, gesturing toward the balcony next to the one Luke was in, where two more Kerash archers fired down upon the crowd. Luke nodded, and grabbed hold of one of the red silken curtains that stood on one side of the balcony, and used it to swing across the wide gap. He flew right over the flight of stairs, which moved past him in a blur, and landed on the second balcony, right behind one of the Kerash. His lightsaber came to life, and Luke stabbed the archer in the ribs. The man screamed and fell to his knees, and was silenced when Luke plunged the blade deep into his back. The second Kerash turned to confront him, and began aiming an arrow in his direction. Luke came forth, sliced the weapon in half, and slammed the metal handle of the saber into the side of the Kerash's head. He heard a loud crack, and the man stumbled back against the railing, almost falling.   
With his opponent incapacitated, Luke grabbed him by the front of his robe, and offered him a powerful head-butt that pulverized his nose. He threw him off the balcony, where he tumbled down toward Kieran. The rebel leader brought his mace up and into the falling archer, shattering his body into several bloody pieces with one hit. With all four archers down, Luke leaped off the balcony and landed safely on his feet. He grinned over at Kieran.   
"Problem solved," he said.   
Kieran nodded. "Excellent work, sir," he said.   
The job done, Luke ran over to see his daughter, and he held her tightly in his arms. "Hey there, my little girl," he said. "It's okay now. You're gonna be all right."   
"But what about Mommy?" Hope asked. "She needs help."   
Luke looked at her. "What do you mean? Where is Mommy?"   
"She was in the Main Hall," Hope replied. "She saved me from Kara. And then Armenia arrived, and Mommy told me to leave and go find you. I don't know where she is right now. Daddy, I'm scared she got hurt..."   
_Armenia...  
_"It'll be okay, precious," Luke soothed. "I'll go find Mommy." He searched the chamber, and saw Cray, who was mopping the floor with over a dozen Kerash warriors. "Cray! Come over here!"   
The HRD heard him immediately, and ran over to him.   
"Can you take Hope outside, away from the battle?" Luke pleaded, handing his daughter over to her. "I need to find Callista."   
Cray nodded. "Yes. Of course."   
"When will you be back, Daddy?" asked Hope.   
"Soon, Hope," Luke answered, kissing his daughter. "Very soon...and with Mommy." He looked up at Cray. "Thank you."   
The HRD nodded, and she led Hope out of the battle. Once they were safe from harm, Luke turned to Kieran. "I have to get to the Main Hall," he said urgently. "Can your handle yourself here?"  
"Yes," Kieran said, and placed a friendly hand on Luke's shoulder. "Be careful, sir." Luke nodded, and began heading up the stairs.


	22. Raximidaj

Chapter 22  
  
As she followed the strand of flickering light, Leanna picked up speed until she was in a full fledged run, thinking, _I don't have much time, so I'd better not waste it_. Several minutes later she stopped at an intersection that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, panting for air. _Which way do I take_? Studying each path carefully through narrowed ice-blue eyes she thought, _I have to choose fast, the longer I stay here, the chances I can return to life get worse. _ _So this is my trial for refusing to croak, huh? And I have only one chance at it._  
Once again she studied the tunnels the best she could in the dark. The right one seemed to have a smooth floor with vines clinging to its opening. The cave itself had an overall friendly appeal to it.   
The cave in front of her seemed to be the worst of all of them. Chunks of rocks were scattered all around the uneven and potholed floor and spikes threatened to fall from the ceiling. At the bottom of the entrance were two skeletons with the half of their skin still clinging to the bone. The only thing that kept the one on the left standing was the spike planted through its neck and embedded in the wall. The second one was closer to right wall, a boulder laying on its crushed head.   
Closing her eyes and shuddering slightly, Leanna shook her head and looked at the tunnel to her left. The cave looked like it came directly from Tatoonine with all the sand laying on the floor. Probably had the heat too. But the only other direction was the way she came, and that was not a choice for her. Taking a couple steps forwards to get a better look at the caves, a voice stopped her in her tracks.   
"Leanna, my angel, come to me. Come home."   
Looking at the right cave she whispered in disbelief, "Dad? Is... is it really you?" "Yes, Leanna, its me. Now let go and come home where you belong. With your mother and I," said the voice that claimed to be her father.   
She began walking toward the cave, a tear slipping down her check mouthing, "Father."   
"Promise me one thing, Lea, my precious daughter. No matter what happens to your mother, me, or what life throws at you, never give up."   
Halting in her tracks her eyes hardened as she stared into the darkness. "You're not my father. You're just a trick to get me to choose the wrong path. My Father would never want me to give up my life, no matter what."   
"Leanna!" a young voice cried from the left cave.   
Snapping her head to the left, she started at it as she furrowed her eyebrows and voiced her question, "Llia?" It can't be... It has to be another trick.   
"You little brat..." Armenia's voice came followed quickly by Llia's panicked scream. "LEANNA!"   
Stepping toward the left cave, Leanna thought, _It's probably an another trick, but I can't that risk_.   
"No child, its a trap," an unfamiliar voice said from the middle cave. She held her hands over her ears as more voices told her to pick one cave or the other, but never the same voice.   
_What should I do? _Leanna thought. _Who can I trust?   
Who knows, maybe meditating will work.   
Meditating can be very good when you want to clear your mind, to relax, or to seek and answer that can only be found within you.   
_Remembering her Father's and her brother's words, Leanna kneeled down resting her hands on her legs as she closed her eyes. One by one, the beckoning voices disappeared, all except one. The unfimilar voice that called to her from the middle cave. Snapping her eyes open, she stared at the cave with the skeletons thinking, _Oh, sure. It takes a battle with death to get me to start meditating again._ Leanna continued sarcastically, _This is going to be fun. Might as will get this over with_. Stepping forward she entered the cave and ducked as two spears flew over her head missing her by a hair's width. _Yeah, real fun._   
Rushing forward, Leanna kept a close look out for any more traps. Spotting movement from the corner of her eye, Leanna threw herself into a shoulder roll, barley missing a wickedly sharp arrow. Rolling to her feet and jumping over the small holes in her way, she said to herself, "Well, it could be worse, I could feel the pain I had from the wounds I received during life."   
Seeing a spike from the ceiling falling towards her, she jumped to the side, but wasn't quick enough as it scraped the side of her left arm, leaving a trail of blood. She hissed as the full pain of the broken arm she had in her fight with Armenia came rushing back. _Me and my big mouth._   
Taking one step forward, she collapsed as her legs gave out from under her and the pain in her back returned. Propping herself on her elbows, Leanna clenched her teeth to fight an outburst. _Of course my legs are going to give. I'm lucky I can still move my arms. _Hearing a sound above her, Leanna looked up and saw a spike about to fall. Closing her eyes in defeat she thought, _I'm dead.   
You still have the same fighting spirit you did then. I can see it in your eyes. You just have to let it free or reunite with it.   
Do you promise to still be awake when I come back?_   
Something in Leanna changed as her siblings' words came back to her. Snapping her eyes open, she pushed with her right arm to roll herself out of the way of the falling spike while firmly saying, "I... will ... not..."   
Her eyes glowed bright with determination. A couple seconds later a tingly feeling spread over her back, and the pain started to fade. Leanna barely had time to notice as she continued to move out of the way of a spear. With one last push with her right arm and another push from her legs she rolled to the side just in time to miss being hit by the spike. Realizing she could feel her legs once more, she looked at them in shock while thinking, _My legs ... how?   
_Jumping back to her feet, wincing a little when she bumped her left arm, she took off running further down the tunnel. As she ran, Leanna studied the area around and in front of her as a spinning bolder appeared in front of a dark opening. The bolder was about half as tall as she, and was as wide as she was tall. Narrowing her eyes in determination, she put all her strength into her run, doubling her speed. As she neared the bolder, she got closer to the right wall. When she was a few feet away from the obstacle, she jumped, pushed her self away from the wall and back flipped the rest the way over the bolder and into the opening thinking, _I haven't broke a promise yet, and I will not start now. I will survive. _Opening her ice blue eyes, Leanna looked at the temple with a slight smirk saying, "I never thought I'd be happy to see your face again, but it feels good to be alive."   
Using her right arm she weakly pushed herself into a sitting position and gasped in shock when she didn't feel the pain that should have had came from her back wound. Carefully, she reached behind with her right arm and felt for the wound. Instead of the gouge that was there but moments ago, were four gashes. As far as she could tell they were about two inches long and not too deep, maybe only a centimeter or so. Shaking her head she thought, _Well, what do you know, miracles do happen._  
  
Armenia was on her last leg. All the fight she had had from the start of the battle was now gone, leaving her a helpless punching bag for Callista. Blood streamed from dozens of wounds on her face from where the staff had struck her. Even if she managed to survive this--and Callista would make damn well sure that that would not happen--Armenia would be scarred for life. The Force storm continued to brew in the sky, only not as violent as before. Callista ignored it and struck Armenia firmly in the chest with the Force, knocking her off her knees and leaving her on her back, her emerald eyes gazing almost lifelessly up at the storm.   
"Come on, Armenia," Callista sneered, approaching the downed woman, feeling a great sense of satisfaction for the first time since their fight had begun. "Don't give up on me now. What's wrong, are you finally tuckered out?"   
"Please..." Armenia squeaked, starting to rise back up. Her eyes stared up at Callista, practically begging for the Jedi to spare her. "No more. I can't take it any more. Please, I'm sorry..."  
"Don't apologize to me," Callista replied. "Apologize to Leanna. And Llia, and pretty much everyone else on this planet whose lives you ruined, all because of some asinine, third-rate god! You're the most disgusting person I've ever laid eyes on. You thrive on the pain of others, and you just keep thirsting for more."   
This time, a small twinge of strength returned to Armenia's face, and she smiled. Callista could notice several holes in her mouth from where she had struck two or three teeth out.   
"Look who's talking, Skywalker. You seem to enjoying the hell out of yourself right now. That makes you no better than I am."   
Callista finally lost it, and she smashed the staff across the Kerash's face so hard that she ripped her left eye loose from its socket. The eye skipped through the air, and flopped to the mud-soaked ground, leaving a bloody-gaping hole on Armenia's face from where her eye had once been. The woman was now on her back again, unable to even scream at the sheer pain of it all.   
"Bitch!" Callista shrieked, as she struck her again. "You dare to compare me to you! After everything you've done to me! You kidnapped my daughter and nephew, beat me almost to death, and tried to resurrect a crazy god so that she can destroy the universe! And you think I am just as bad. I am nothing like you, you motherless piece of SHIT!"   
With anger fueling her strength, Callista smashed the staff upon Armenia again.   
And again.   
And again.   
And again. She had no idea how long she did that, only that she kept raining hard blows upon Armenia, who remained helpless and stunned on the ground, not even able to lift a finger. Over and over again, Callista pummeled her, in the face, the stomach, the chest, the hands, the legs, the throat, Armenia's blood flying into her face. A loud, angered wail rose from her lips, echoing across the empty battlefield, as she let out all her rage and pain upon Armenia.   
"Mommy, no!"   
Callista stopped when she heard her daughter's voice. "Hope?" she said weakly, and turned to see Cray coming out of the temple, carrying Hope in her arms. The little girl's eyes widened when she saw Callista and Armenia, and she jumped from the HRD's arms, taking a few steps toward her.   
"Mommy, what are you doing?" Hope asked, pain in her voice. "Why are you hurting Armenia?"   
Callista looked down at the Kerash warrior, who was on the verge of death, her remaining eye looking fearfully up at the Jedi Knight, silently pleading. "Trust me, Hope," she ended up saying. "This woman is a murderer, with no decency at all within her. She deserves to die."   
Hope stepped closer to her mother, sadness in her eyes and voice. "Please, don't kill her, Mommy," she begged. "You're so mad, it scares me."   
It was Hope's final words that stopped Callista from delivering the final blow. _You're so mad, Mommy, it scares me.._.As she began to lower the staff from over her head, voices of people she knew whispered in her head: _The dark side...   
You're scaring me, you're scaring everyone else around you. Do you have any idea how close to the dark side you are?   
I sense much darkness in you now. If you continue down the road you've already taken, you will become its slave.   
Don't give in to your hate...Promise me!   
_"In the name of Chad," Callista whispered in horror, as she realized what she was doing to herself and Armenia, what she had been doing all along since Hope had been taken from her.   
She was one with the dark side.   
Ever since her daughter had been kidnapped, she felt that darkness long dormant within her struggling to get out, to gain control over her, to become her master. She had tried to fight it, but it kept coming back to haunt her, stronger than ever, until she had finally given in to it, surrendered to it. She had chosen the path of a coward.   
Rather than extinguish the darkness in her, she had chosen to embrace it. In just one day, she had killed so many. The blood of over dozens of people was now on her hands, and Armenia would follow if she kept pummeling her. These people may be evil, but in the end, if Callista butchered every last Kerash in cold blood, fueled by the dark side, she would become no better than them.   
With the words of her daughter--her beautiful little angel--repeating in her head, she finally found the strength to push back the darkness, resist its temptation, and drive it away from her heart. She looked down at Armenia, who seemed bracing herself for a final blow, and let the staff drop to the ground.   
"It's over, Armenia," Callista said coldly, not a trace of warmth in her voice. "You've lost. Arak will never be freed from Raximidaj." She stepped away from the Kerash warrior, and watched as she slowly got up.   
The woman was in terrible shape, and she would need immediate medical attention. "You...You're not gonna kill me?" she asked.   
Callista shook her head. "No. You're not even worth the bother, Armenia. Just get out of my sight."   
With that, she turned her back on the injured warrior, and headed over to her daughter. Hope began running toward her with a smile, then skidded to a halt, her eyes opening wide in terror. She seemed to be looking over Callista's shoulder.   
"MOMMY, WATCH OUT!!!!" Callista felt the Force warn her of a danger from behind. She spun around to see Armenia advance toward her with a knife in her good hand, bringing it down toward her chest. Callista couldn't even move away in time--   
"No!" Cray shouted, as she ran to Callista's aid. She moved with blurring speed, moving right past Hope. When she got close enough to the two women, she knocked Callista aside, and stepped into Armenia's way--   
--just as the knife plunged into her chest.   
Callista watched in horror as the knife penetrated the HRD's synthflesh, going deep enough to hit the CPU, causing it to overload and explode. Blue bolts of electricity sizzled through Cray's body, as her flesh melted, exposing the wires and circuits underneath. Seconds later, she fell to the ground.   
"No!" Callista ran to her friend's side, and gathered her in her arms. Cray's eyes stared up at Callista, the synthflesh on one side of her face already starting to melt away. "Cray, can you hear me? Are you--?"   
"Callista--" Cray said, her voice pattern becoming deeper as her body overloaded. "I..."   
"No, you'll be fine," Callista urged, shaking the droid by the shoulders. "Your self-repair unit, you can..."   
"I-I can't," Cray whispered. "It's already melted. In a few minutes, I'll completely shut down."   
"No!" Callista begged, tears streaming from her eyes.   
"It's okay, Callista," Cray said weakly, reaching up with one skinless hand to stroke Callista's cheek. "This is...what I want. I'm not the real Cray, Callista, no matter how hard I try to tell myself otherwise. Trust me...it's better this...way..." Her optical senses dimmed, and the droid's body completely shut down in Callista's arms. Cray's eyes continued to stare up at her, frighteningly empty of life.   
"Well," Armenia said, still towering over Callista. "That was...interesting, to say the least."   
Callista looked away from her friend, and up at her opponent, glaring with an intense fierceness, careful not to let her anger get the best of her. "You monster..." she said. Armenia sneered. "You Jedi whore. You should have killed me when you had the chance. And now look what's happened. Your little friend's dead. How many does that make now, with both her and Leanna dead?"   
As the woman spoke, a small figure crept up behind her, unnoticed by either woman. Hope did, however, and she briefly looked behind Armenia, giving whoever it was a silent nod.   
"Any last words, Skywalker, before I cut open your throat?"   
Hope went over to Callista's side, and looked straight up at Armenia, not a trace of fear on her face. "I do, Armenia," she said quietly. "Two words: Behind you."   
Armenia stared down at the little girl in confusion; then realization broke across her face as it begun to hit her. Letting out an angry cry, she began to turn around to slice open the new arrival--   
--and looked down at Llia, and saw a metallic cylinder pressed tightly against her stomach.   
"This is for my sister, Armenia," Llia said, and she pressed the red button.   
Armenia's eyes widened as she saw what was happening, but there was nothing she could do but scream as the blue-white lightsaber blade sprung to life, cutting completely through her midsection, and out through her back. The knife clattered uselessly to the ground, and both hands went down to grasp the handle of the Jedi weapon, her eyes going glassy as she stared down at Llia. Then, without a single sound, she fell to her knees.   
Llia grunted as she yanked the blade free from Armenia's body, and placed the tip of the blue blade against the woman's throat. Armenia continued staring at the little girl, her life slowly dripping away. She pushed the blade forward. Armenia's head rolled to the ground seconds later, and the rest of her body tumbled afterwords. Her fingers twitched for a few seconds, then fell still, smoke rising from the stump of her neck, where the lightsaber had struck her head off, as well as from her stomach. Llia looked down at her cousin's corpse, a haunted look in her eyes.   
Callista began to stand up, gently laying Cray's body on the ground. Hope stepped over to Llia, concern evident in her eyes. Llia looked over at Hope--and began to cry. Hope reached out and hugged her friend. They both fell to their knees, as Llia sobbed on the younger girl's shoulder, looking away from Armenia's corpse. Callista knelt beside the children and wrapped her arms around them.   
Llia had avenged her sister's death...and it had done nothing to ease her pain at losing her only family left. She knew exactly how the little girl felt.   
"Llia?" The new voice startled Callista, and she whirled around, expecting another Kerash to attack her--   
--and instead saw Leanna, alive and well, approaching Callista from behind. The woman was still alive...and she could walk. Words could not do justice to what Callista felt when she looked at Leanna.   
"Leanna?" she gasped, not knowing what else to say.  
Leanna nodded. "Where's my sister?" she asked.   
Llia, having heard Leanna speak, looked up and saw her older sister standing beside Callista, very much alive. Her entire face paled, first with disbelief, then relief, and then joy. "Leanna!" she cried out, as she stood up, and ran to embrace her sister. Leanna returned to hug with as much strength as she could muster, and added a few kisses.   
"I'm here, Llia," she said, as she scooped the little girl up in her arms. "I'll always be here for you. Oh, I love you so much."   
Callista smiled as she watched the two sisters hug, and looked over at Hope. Her daughter was also smiling, and she ran over to her mother, leaping into Callista's arms. "Oh, my precious little baby," Callista said lovingly, as she hugged Hope. "I'm so glad you're okay."   
"Mommy...can we go home now?" Hope asked.   
Callista nodded. "Yes, honey. We can go home now." She had just set her daughter back down, when the ground they stood on began to shake and tremble violently. Hope screamed as she almost fell, but Callista reached out and hold her, careful not to let herself fall. Beside them, Leanna and Llia looked around in confusion and fear, as a mighty earthquake began tearing the ground apart.   
"What's going on?" Hope shrieked fearfully, clutching her mother's leg. Lightning flashed from the sky, but this time, not from the Force storm. Another storm, larger and far more powerful, began forming in the dark sky, unleashing amazing arms of lightning that shattered into the ground, and struck down even the tallest of the gnarltrees. One bolt hit the top of the temple, causing debris and pieces of limestone to rain down upon them. And through it all, Callista could hear a dark, malevolent laugh tear at the back of her mind. It chilled her to the very bone, it sounded so terrifying and evil. Like a dark sunspot plaguing a sun, like a single drop of blood staining a white sheet...   
And as Callista stood there, holding a terrified Hope in her arms, she uttered the words Kara had said to her so long ago. "It's Arak...She is Coming..."  
  
Luke had almost reached the corridor leading into the Main Hall when the temple began to shake, causing large cracks to burst through the limestone walls. Luke lost his footing, and slammed against the wall, falling to his knees. Above him, the ceiling started to crumble.   
_What's going on? _Luke thought as he stood up, getting out his lightsaber. Just what we needed. An earthquake, in the middle of a battle-- His eyes widened when he saw Anakin up ahead, who was writing on the ground, a large piece of rock jammed onto his left leg. The little boy was screaming for help, blood running down from one side of his face. "Anakin!" Luke shouted, running over to help his nephew.   
"Uncle Luke!" screamed Anakin. "My leg...I think it's broken!"   
"It's okay, Annie," Luke calmed him as he used the Force to lift the rock away. He picked Anakin up and held him in his arms. "Come on! We have to get to the Main Hall before--"  
  
"--the portal has opened," Callista said gravely, as she looked down at Hope, who still clung tightly to her mother's leg, trying hard not to scream in fear. "I guess Armenia was right. I was too late to stop the Kerash after all."   
She looked over at the hole Armenia had made through the wall, where she could see the barest hint of blue light streaming from the Main Hall. "And now Arak's coming...just like Kara said."   
"What are we gonna do?" Llia asked, then shrieked as another bolt of lightning tore from the sky, causing her to hide her face in her sister's arms. Callista thought for a long moment, then handed Hope over to Leanna. "Leanna, I want you take Hope and get out of here. I don't want any of you near this place when I face Arak."   
"No, Mommy!" Hope protested as Leanna held her hand. "I wanna go with you!" "You can't Hope. It's not s--" But as the words left her mouth, a single word erupted in her mind.   
_Calthazar..._   
Callista froze as she heard Sonya's voice. She looked down at her little girl, who was so scared of what was going on, and wanted nothing more than to just go home with her mother and father, so they could be a family again.   
_Hope is Calthazar... _  
"Wait," Callista said, as Leanna began to turn to leave. She went over and took Hope in her arms. "Hope will stay with me."   
She hugged her daughter, and looked over at Llia and Leanna. "I'm so glad that you two are together again. Keep it that way, and don't go anywhere near this temple again until this is all over. Go back to the rebel camp, and look after the other three children. I want you all to be safe."   
Leanna nodded, as she protectively held her younger sister. "You have my word, Jedi," she said, and led Llia into the jungle. With Hope in her arms, Callista turned back toward the entrance through the wall, her feelings a mixture of determination and fear. She had known that this day would be coming for so long, but she was in no way ready for it. "Mommy?"   
Callista looked down at her child. "Yes, Hope?" she asked. "If something..." Hope couldn't find the right words. "...if we don't make it...I just want wanna say that I'll always love you. Forever and ever."   
Callista was moved by her daughter's sweet words, that she fought hard not to cry. She couldn't afford to cry at a time like this. She rubbed her nose gently against her daughter's. "And I will always love you, Hope," she said softly. "Even in death..."   
Then, still carrying Hope, Callista leaped through the giant hole. The first thing she saw was an enormous swirl of blue-white light hovering high in the Main Hall. Tsin and his Kerash priests were standing under it in a large circle, with Tsin in the center, bowing down before the portal. The Main Hall continued trembling, large pieces of stone breaking loose from the walls and falling to the floor. Callista set Hope down, who hid, terrified behind her leg.   
"By the Force..." she gasped, one hand going up to her mouth.   
"At last!" shouted Tsin, his voice marked with triumph as he raised his hands high into the air, his fingers almost touching the ever-enlarging vortex. "At last, she is Coming. Arak is Coming...into our world!!!"   
It was then that Callista felt an earth-shattering wave of pain shudder through her body, and she and Hope both fell to their kness, screaming.  
  
Luke burst into the Main Hall, with Anakin held in his arms. He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell upon the massive blue white enveloping the air. The portal.   
"Uncle Luke," said Anakin weakly, "I have a very, very, very bad feeling about this." Luke nodded, his eyes transfixed on the enormous vortex. "I know how you feel." He heard screams from off to one side, and Luke turned to see Callista and Hope writhing on the floor, spasms shaking through their bodies. She were clutching their heads in pain, unable to stop from screaming.   
"Callista?" Luke said in horror. "Hope!" He began running toward his wife and daughter--   
--when he suddenly collapsed to the floor, an incredible wave of fire burning into his head. He dropped Anakin, who landed next to the wall, his body begin to spasm uncontrollably. And as Luke felt the fire burn everything it touched his body, as he felt an endless stream of screams leave his lips, he could hear the sound of laughter...  
  
"What the heck?" Jacen exclaimed, as the ground he and his friends sat on began to tremble, as if an earthquake had just started. All around them, the gnarltrees began to topple and fall on top of each other.   
"It's an earthquake!" Jaina gasped, as their concentration on the Force storm began to falter, growing weaker. "Oh, great! Can things get any worse?"   
As Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka began to stand up, Jacen gasped as he felt a terrible ache in his head. One hand went up to rub his forehead, but it did nothing to alleviate the pain. Tenel Ka gave him a concerned look.   
"Are you all right, Jacen?"   
Jacen nodded. "Yeah...I think so. I just got a headache or something."   
That ache suddenly turned into a searing agony, and Jacen collapsed to the ground, his hands clutching his head, screaming as large spasms tore apart his body.   
"Jacen?" Jaina said, and went over to her brother's side. "Jacen, what's--"   
She suddenly began screaming as well, falling right next to her brother. Tenel Ka joined them soon thereafter, unable to stop the pain coursing through her body. And as they laid there, screaming in pain, as the earthquake continued to shatter the ground, their grasp on the Force storm completely broke off, and the storm itself eventually faded away into nothingness.  


*  


Leia had had no idea what had happened to her. One minute, she had been discussing the casualties of the battle with Han and Mon Mothma in her office. Then the next minute, she was on the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs, her arms and legs flopping uselessly like a fish trapped on land. Pain tore at every nerve in her body, as if someone had set her on fire. She could barely make out Han's face as he grabbed her by the shoulders. She could feel his panic as he began shaking her, trying to snap her out of it. "Leia?" he said. "Leia! Leia, are you all right? What's going on--?"   
"I'll get help!" Mon Mothma exclaimed, as she ran out of the office for paramedics. Han continued shaking his wife, as she continued screaming incoherently in agony. "Leia, answer me!" he begged. "Tell me what's wrong! Leia, sweetheart, can you hear me?"   
"It's started!" Leia began screaming. She couldn't control what she was saying. All she saw was a bright flash of blue light in her eyes, and dark, frightening hands reaching out to grab her. "It's started! It's started! It's started! It's started! IT'S STARTED! IT'S STARTED--"  
  
"It's started!" Tionne screamed, her hands going up to her head as a loud sizzle of pain entered her brain. She fell to her knees, her screams growing louder and louder. "The door has opened! It's opened! And it's starting to come out!"   
All around her, Kyp, Streen, Cilghal, and the rest of the Jedi students on the small pleateau on Garkonis, still waiting for help to arrive, began to scream with her as well.  
  
Artoo-Detoo strolled down the halls of the Great Temple on Yavin 4, very close to panic. The little astromech droid had been programmed to feel human emotions such as panic and fear, and now, those emotions were raging throughout his little mechanical body, worse than ever. The screams of all the Jedi students in the temple rang from their personal quarters. Artoo wheeled down one hall, he listened as the students screamed from their rooms. They began shouting incoherent words, in many different languages.   
"It's started! It's started!" one of them shouted, while another shouted something about a door opening. Another spout out something about a triangle needed to close it. Artoo understood nothing of which they were talking about, no matter how hard he tried to decipher their "codes". He had no idea what was going on.  
  
All throughout the galaxy, on hundreds of different planets, all Force- sensitive beings began to scream and writhe in pain as Arak began entering their world.  
  
As the agony in Callista's body reached a climax, she suddenly felt it stop. Her body finally laid still, no longer plagued by spasms, trying to regain her breath. The earthquake and the storm outside had stopped as well, including the Force storm.   
The Main Hall remained silent. Relief poured through her, as she looked over at Hope, and saw that she had stopped shaking as well. Callista reached over with one weak arm, and tried as hard as she could to hug her little girl.   
"Hope, are you okay?" she whispered.   
Hope managed a slight nod. "I hurt, Mommy," she said weakly.   
Callista stood and picked her daughter up. "I know, Hope," she said, as she gave her daughter a comforting kiss. "I do, too."   
"Callista?" Luke said as he began to get back up.   
"Luke!" Callista exclaimed, as she picked Hope up and ran to her husband's side. She felt Luke's arms slide around her and their daughter, reuniting their family once again. "Oh, Luke, I'm so glad to see you!"   
"Annie!" Hope gasped, as she leaped from her mother's arms, and went over to the little boy, who was still on the floor, grabbing at his broken leg.   
Callista's hand went up to her mouth, and she looked over at Luke. "Is he-- "   
"His leg's broken," Luke said softly. "But he'll be okay. Callista, what just happened to us...what was that all about? What happened?"   
"I happened," a voice said from behind them.   
A low, demonic growl of a voice, with not a trace of humanity in it. Callista saw Luke's eyes bulge out in horror, as he stepped back. Callista felt her bones melt into water, as she began to turn around--   
--and screamed. Kara stood behind them both, all traces of the wound from Armenia's spear now wiped out. Her eyes, once a dark smoke-gray like her mother's, now glowed with blue-white fire. She smiled, and the sheer terror of her grin wanted Callista to cover her eyes.   
"K-Kara?" she gasped.   
The woman shook her head. "No. I am not Kara, anymore, Callista." She raised her clawed fingers into the air. "You know very well who I am."   
Callista could not describe the horror she felt as it slowly started to sink in. "You're Arak," she said. She froze in place as she looked into Arak's blazing eyes. She could feel the pure evil emanating from this demon, now entrapped in the body of her deceased daughter.   
Arak continued sneering at the Jedi, her grin growing ever so wider.   
"I...I don't understand," Callista stammered, looking over at Luke, who seemed just as frightened as she was. "How...why are you in her body..."   
"You fool!" Tsin exclaimed, as he stepped from the circle of Kerash priests, toward Arak. "In order for the Great One to live in this universe, she must find a host to inhabit, whether they are alive or dead." He smiled as he laid eyes upon the newly-resurrected deity, and he dropped to one knee, his head lowered. "O Mighty Arak, we welcome to to Anasazi." The rest of the priests followed after their leader, bowing before the power of their goddess.   
Arak smiled down upon Tsin, sending a shiver through Callista's blood. "It was you who freed me from Raximidaj?" the goddess said in that terrifying, animal-like voice. Her eyes glowed even brighter as she rubbed her long, clawed fingers through the High Priest's long brown hair. "I thank you for that."   
Tsin nodded. "With your permission, Your Unholiness, the Order of Kerash wish to receive their reward for bringing you into our world."   
A wicked gleam shined in Arak's eyes as she nodded in acceptance. "Very well, Tsin. You shall receive your reward..."   
Tsin raised his head, his eyes looking up at Arak with a mix of reverence and awe, as she pressed the palm of her hand upon his forehead. A second later, he started screaming. His flesh began to smoke and turn black.   
Callista, Luke, Hope, Anakin, and the Kerash priests looked on in horror as Tsin's flesh began melting away from his bones. His blood boiled, and splattered onto the marble floor, his agonized screams increasing. Arak's hand remained clamped upon his forehead, until all of the man's skin was gone, melting into a large puddle on the floor, and exposing the skeleton underneath. Tsin's corpse clattered to the floor, and shattered into dozens of tiny pieces.   
The remaining priests stood up, terrified, and began to run. Arak's hands came up, using a power Callista had never seen before to hold all of the priests in place. Blue fire erupted from her fingertips, striking each of the Kerash in the chest, and coming out through the back. Within seconds, their faces had turned a bright cherry-red, none of them able to scream--   
--and exploded. Blood, brains, gore, and pieces of torn clothing rained through the air as the priests combusted, one by one.   
Barely five seconds had passed before their remains littered the once-clean floor. And then Arak turned toward Callista and her family.   
"Those poor, deluded fools," the goddess said, the evil burning within her staggering. Her eyes blazed when she looked upon Callista, through Kara's face, now a mere mask to hide the true face of the goddess. "Now...this is going to very fun."   
"Get back, Callista," Luke warned, as he stepped between the two women with his lightsaber. "Arak, I don't know who you are, or what you want, but I swear to the Force that I'm not gonna let you lay a hand on my family!"   
Arak scoffed. "The Force? So, that's what Shemra calls herself these days. How pathetic."   
She took a single step closer to Luke, until her nose was nearly touching the Jedi Master's face. "Do me a favor, Jedi, will you? After I have ripped your heart out, if you happen to see Shemra in the afterlife, tell her that I'll be coming after her soon."   
Luke gnashed his teeth, and swung his lightsaber in a curving arc toward Arak's midsection--   
--and gasped when the goddess snatched the energy blade with her hand, her fingers curling around the green light.   
The blade caused no damage whatsoever to her hand  
"Impudent fool!" Arak snapped, as she landed an uppercut into Luke's jaw. Callista gasped as her husband was tossed back through the air from the force of the blow and into the opposite wall. She ran over to his downed form, fearing the worst. Callista heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still conscious, but bleeding heavily from his mouth. "You all are just as foolish as those Kerash priests," Arak said, her voice reverberating across the Main Hall. "I am a god. You can't kill me, or even hurt me, for that matter. No mortal can ever hope to stand up against a god."   
Callista helped Luke stand to his feet, and glared at Arak. "Leave us alone, Arak!" she shouted. "We have done nothing to you!"   
"Oh, but you have," Arak said, standing in the middle of the chamber, where the portal continued to rage above her. "Unless I've made a mistake, you all plan on stopping me, is that right?"   
Callista had no answer for that one.   
"How amusing," Arak continued arrogantly, glancing from Luke and Callista, to Hope and Anakin, who cowered against the other wall, scared out of their minds. "Four pitiful mortals dare to challenge me?" Her voice grew louder as she became angrier. "The pantheon of gods were no match for me centuries ago. Compared to them, you all are no contest."   
Blue lightning began curling around her fingers as she spoke, searching for a target. "Now...who shall be the first one to die?"   
Callista suddenly felt an incredible surge of power course through her body. She felt stronger than ever before, and next to her, Luke pulled away from her grip, able to stand on his own two feet, the blood gone from his face. His eyes glowed with a burning white power...as did Callista's. Hope, who had a moment ago been crying in Anakin's arms for fear of dying, stood up as well, overcome by the same power as her parents. Her eyes blazed with white intensity, fixated on Arak.   
"You shouldn't have come back, Arak," she said, her little three-year-old voice combined by another voice. The voice of a million-year-old power who had once banished Arak into Raximidaj.   
Shemra...the light side of the Force.   
Arak's eyes widened as she recognized the voice. "Shemra!" she gasped. "What are you doing here, you old bitch?"   
"I am here to stop you," the Force spoke through Callista, as she and Luke stepped closer to the Kerash goddess.   
"And this time," spoke Luke, "I intend to finish the job."   
Arak laughed, her voice thick with derision. "With these people, Shemra? These three...mortals? They are no match for me, and neither are you! I'll kill every last one of you if I have to!"   
"These mortals are Jedi Knights," the Force said through Hope, who stood to Arak's left. "And they have powers you have never even dreamed of." Anakin watched on, both amazed and frightened, as Callista blocked Arak from the right, and Luke stood directly in front of her, the three forming a triangle of a sort around the goddess.   
The Trinity.   
"Oh, Shemra, Shemra," Arak said in amusement, but with the smallest drop of uncertainty in her voice. "Still the same weak, sentimental fool you were ten-million years ago. I see what you're up to. My mother, Sheherhera, and her army of gods couldn't destroy me with the Trinity...and it will not work now."   
"That's because I didn't let them win," Callista said, her eyes glaring at Arak. "I killed every last one of them on Kindora, on the day I trapped you in Raximidaj."   
Shock painted Arak's face as she listened. "You...what?"   
"The gods were becoming corrupt, thanks to you," Luke said. "So I had no choice to annihilate the entire pantheon. It was the hardest I have ever had to make, and I regret it to this very day." His voice hardened. "But now, your time is up, Arak. Now, you must be destroyed once and for all."   
Arak tried to move away, escape from the triangle, but the Force trapped her in an invisible barrier, preventing her from moving a muscle. Callista felt a series of strange, unpronouncable words leave her mouth, as she, Luke, and Hope began chanting in a language she had never heard before.   
"Neeha ufhga uerhal ghutka poralga bhutain shrian gueoal kehskeak."   
"No!" Arak hissed, trying to cover her ears, but her arms refused to move. "No, you shut up! Shut up, all of you! I am not going back!"   
The Trinity continued to chant, their hands rising slowly into the air. Arak began to scream, as if an eletrical surge had just passed through her body. "NO!"   
"SEENAHK!" Callista shouted at the top of her lungs, pointing an accusing finger at the goddess. Arak screamed as her spirit left Kara's body, causing the corpse to sag lifelessly back to the floor. Callista could make out a dark, black smoke coursing uncontrollably through the air. Arak's screams permeated the Main Hall as she soared out of control, unable to control her momentum--   
--and back into the portal. The screams of the Kerash goddess erupted from the swirl of blue-white light, causing the temple to shudder. Luke, Callista, and Hope remained in their place, unmoving. Anakin whimpered in fear. Once Arak's screams dissipated, Callista felt the influence of Shemra leave her body. And all three collapsed to their knees, weakened and drained from their ordeal.   
"Uncle Luke!" Anakin exclaimed, unable to go over to then, due to his broken leg. "Aunt Callista! Are you guys all right?"   
Callista nodded. "Yeah, I think so..."   
"Well, that was easy," Luke muttered, as he stood himself up.   
_It's not over yet_, the Force whispered in their minds.   
Callista looked around in surprise, expecting someone to appear behind her. "What do you mean?" she demanded, glancing back at the vortex, hoping that Arak would not return. _Arak is back in Raximidaj, but she is still alive and strong. In order to destroy her, you must perform the Trinity on her own ground...in Raximidaj itself.   
_Callista's knees felt weak at that point. "Take the fight to her?" she said in realization. _Yes,_ the Force said. _But you must hurry. The portal will not stay open for long._ Callista turned back to the gaping portal, and then at Luke and Hope, knowing that they had heard the voice as well. "Luke--" she began.   
Her husband nodded. "I know, Callista," he said. "We have to do it. If we don't, then the Kerash will just try again. And we can't allow that to happen. Arak has to be destroyed." Callista finally nodded in agreement, and she took a moment to gaze at her beautiful family for one last time. For she had a sinking feeling that this would be the last time she would see them again.   
"Then I'm ready," she said.   
With that, she turned and began running toward the portal. She could feel the portal drawing her in, like a tornado. Her arms reached out forth, and were the first to enter the blue-white light, and a cold chill ran through her body, as if she had just placed her arms into a freezing river. Behind her, she could hear Luke and Hope's footsteps against the marble floor as they ran after her. Callista took a deep breath, and threw the rest of her body into the portal, and knew no more.  
  
"Mommy! Daddy!" Hope called out as she ran after her parents. She tried to run as fast as she could, but she couldn't keep up with them. "Wait for me!" She watched as Mommy entered the strange portal first, then Daddy a few seconds later. As she approached the portal, her breath coming out of her in small gasps, she could feel the portal's influence reach out to her, slowly reeling her in. It was a tingling sensation that gave her goosebumps. "I'm coming!" Hope shouted as she shot one hand out toward the portal--   
--and watched as it disappeared into the air, leaving without her.   
"No!" Hope cried as she fell to her knees, sobs racking her body. "Nooooo! Mommy! Daddy!" She felt despair and helplessness overtake her mind.   
"I'm sorry, Hope," Anakin said sadly, unable to go comfort his cousin. Hope nodded, and continued to sob. Now, after all they had been through together, she would never see Mommy or Daddy again...   
_Do not cry, little one._   
Hope gasped as she heard the Force speak to her again. She looked up and around, but she saw no one other than Anakin and herself in the Main Hall.   
"Wh-Why?" she said, trying hard to obey. "What am I gonna do now? Mommy and Daddy have left me, forever..."   
_There is still hope, my child_, the Force said, her voice beautiful and comforting, washing away Hope's tears. You are the Calthazar, Hope, the heart of the Trinity. You are the key to defeating Arak once and for all. Hope nodded.   
"But the portal's closed now," she said. "How can I...How can I open it again?"   
_Let the light side guide you, Hope. And I will show you how...  
_  
_Why do I keep coming here?   
That's for you to decide.   
_Callista groaned as she woke up, and shielded her eyes as bright rays of sunlight streamed through a large window. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her surroundings--and almost passed out in shock. She was in her old childhood bedroom.   
On Chad.   
The last thing Callista remembered, she had been about to launch herself into the portal leading into Raximidaj, to battle the goddess Arak.   
And now...   
Callista looked around, at the room she had not seen for over sixty years. She remembered her old bed, her pet mooka Jeebie, who slept on the edge of her bed, making soft cooing noises through its nose. She saw old toys she had long forgotten, as well as posters of her favorite jizz-wailing bands.   
_Where's Luke? _she thought as she got out of bed, still wearing the same clothes she had worn in the Temple of Arak. _And Hope?   
_She heard noises from outside, and she looked through the window to see her little brother, Josef, fishing with their father on the shore. The little boy cheered with delight as he caught a rainbow-colored catfish, and threw it onto the sandy ground, and launched his fishing hook back into the crashing waves. Callista smiled as she watched her brother and father, the nostalgia starting to return. How she missed this place, before...   
_No,_ her mind said sternly, trying to snap Callista out of her reverie. _This isn't real; none of this is. This is only a stupid dream, and as soon as you wake up...   
_"But I don't want to wake up," Callista said softly, sitting back down on her comfortable old bed, on the red-and-green-striped quilt her great- grandmother had sewn for her on her third life day, stroking Jeebie's soft white-brown fur, smiling as she felt the mooka's breathing under the palm of her hand. "I don't want to wake up...ever again."   
_Why do I keep coming here?   
That's for you to decide.   
_She heard movement from outside her room. Callista stood up, feeling her muscles tense.   
"Hello?" she called out, her voice slightly quivering. When no answered, she tried again. "Hello? Is someone there?" She could still hear the shifting of slippers on the green carpet, just outside her room. Callista gathered up her courage, and stepped gingerly out of the room, finding herself in the small hallway that led into the living room. Across from Callista's bedroom was the refresher. And on the carpeted floor was an empty bottle of poison.   
_Lissy...I'll be there, when you come. Come to me...when it's your turn to pass.   
I will, Mama. I promise, I promise...   
_Callista crept through the hallway, and found herself in the living room. She saw the family holovid placed against the wall, next to the old- fashioned fireplace. This house was so old. Her father had told her before that it had belonged to his great-great grandfather... Callista sat down on the soft, leather sofa in the living room, and used the remote to switch on the holovid. An image of a black-and-white cartoon flashed to life on the screen. An animated cy'een who was talking to a big, fat fish.   
"Juufoo," Callista whisperd, as she recognized the cartoon. "That was my favorite show when I was little." She remembered this episode, the first one she had ever seen. She remembered first watching it when she was around four or five, and giggling as Juufoo and his friends went on so many crazy adventures under the ocean...   
She heard footsteps again, this time from somewhere in the kitchen. Callista quickly switched off the holovid, and stood from the sofa. She could feel the tiniest bit of sweat dotting her forehead.   
"Hello?" she said weakly, but again, no one answered. Callista stepped into the large kitchen, and saw no one in sight. Not her older sisters, or even the house-droid. She recognized the table where she had always eaten lunch with Josef after having played at the beach. Her mother usually made them shrimp sandwiches or chocolate-coconut pie. It was her favorite dessert. And indeed, she saw a plate of pie sitting on the table, unattended to. Callista felt her mouth water, and she finally realized how hungry she was. She had not eaten anything in so long...   
"Hello, Lissy." Callista almost screamed in surprise at the sound of the voice. She quickly turned around, her long brown hair flying over her left shoulder, and saw her mother standing at the kitchen entrance, a kind smile on her face, bringing out the green in her gorgeous eyes.   
"Mama?" Callista gasped, disbelieving.   
Her mother chuckled at the sound of her voice. "Well, what are you standing there for, Lissy?" she said in a slightly amused, but not unkind, tone. "Go over there and eat your pie. I made it just for you."   
Callista looked over at the pie--which seemed more delicious than ever--and then at her mother, who continued smiling at her. She didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure if this was really happening or not. "Are...Are you sure I can...What if Josef comes in and..." "Oh, don't be silly," her mother said, stepping into the kitchen. "It's not Josef's seventh life day we're celebrating tomorrow. He's still got a few more years left."   
Callista looked out through the kitchen window, toward where Josef and their father kept fishing. Her little brother was now hugging his father around the leg, proud of both their captures. Callista's eyes brimmed with tears as she remembered with vivid clarity of her little brother's death at the hands of Jedi hunters, killed because he'd helped her.   
"Well, don't be shy," her mother urged. "I made it just for you."   
Callista snapped out of her thoughts, and looked back at her mother. She had almost forgotten that she had been in the kitchen. She stared into her mother's beautiful, but weathered, face. She stared at her green eyes, her mane of long black hair, her slim figure.   
And then she remembered the empty bottle of arsenic...and of her holding her mother's dying body in the refresher, too late to save her.  
_Come to me...when it's your turn to pass..._   
"Is something wrong, Lissy?" her mother asked, concerned. "Are you feeling all right?"   
Callista shook her head. "Mama...I don't know what I'm feeling anymore. I just...I can't explain it..."   
Her mother seemed hurt. "Well...aren't you going to eat your pie?" she asked, almost pleading.   
Callista didn't know how to answer that. She wanted so much to. Hunger began gnawing at the edges of her stomach, fiercer than ever. But, for some strange, she couldn't get to the pie. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get anywhere near it. _Why was this happening?   
Why do I keep coming here?_   
"Well, suit yourself, then," her mother replied, in a bitter, angry tone. "I see where this is going, Callista." When she had been alive, her mother had only called her Callista when she was about to get in deep trouble. "You don't want the pie because I'm the one who made it. I completely forgot; you hate me. Now, if had been your father who had made it, on the other hand, you would've eaten it in just one bite."   
Callista was taken aback by her mother's words. She had never been this harsh to her before. "What?" she choked out, feeling the long-held tears now starting to release. "Mama, how can you say that? I appreciate everything you're doing. It's just that..."   
"I don't want to hear it, young lady!" her mother snapped, on the verge of shouting. "What do you want me to do, Callista? I've given you everything. I gave you life, a home, clothes, an education, everything you could ever ask for! And how do you reward me? You shut me out of your life!"   
"No!" Callista sobbed, one hand going up to wipe her tears, but they kept coming, unable to stop. "No, that's not true! It never was! I love you very much, Mama! I just...I just..."   
Her mother sneered. A cold, chilling smile that terrified Callista more than the Kerash, Kara, and Arak combined. "You just loved dear old Papa more, is that it?" she said, stepping closer to Callista. "It was always 'Papa this' or 'Papa that'. You never paid any attention to me, that's for damn sure, no matter what I did for you!"   
"I loved you!" Callista screamed, leaving against the kitchen sink for support. Without it, she would have fallen. She felt a shudder run through her body as she fought hard not to erupt into uncontrollable sobs.   
"If you loved me so much, why did you kill me, sweetie?" her mother snapped cruelly. "Admit it, Callista. After I had taken the poison, and you held me in your arms, you wanted me to die. You longed it for so much, you could practically taste it. You were thinking, 'Yeah, you old bitch. Go ahead and die! You deserve every last bit of it!' Didn't you? Didn't you?"   
"No!" Callista screamed, placing her hands on her ears, fighting to shut out her mother's voice. "No, no, no, no, no, no, I'm not listening to you! I refuse to listen to you!" "Oh, come on, Callista. You're not fooling anybody!" her mother taunted. "You remember after my death, everyone else blamed you for what happened. You brother, your sisters...hell, even your loving father blamed you! That has to tell you something, doesn't it?" She reached out, and snatched Callista by the shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eyes. "Tell me the truth, Callista. Come on, do it! What did I always tell you? Telling the truth makes you feel better."   
Callista shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. She wished she could just die right then, if it meant leaving this horrible nightmare. "No! I won't say it! It's not true!"   
"Yes, it is," her mother hissed in her ear. "YOU! WANTED! ME! TO! DIE!"   
"YES!" Callista shrieked, her voice amplified a thousand times over with the Force. The window transparisteel shattered, as did the table, and the walls and ceiling began to crumble, as Callista unleashed her fury upon her mother, reliving her nightmares over and over again. And then, she began to cry. "Yes," she concended. "Yes, I did want you to die. There, are you happy now?"   
She glared at the woman who stood before her. "I was glad you died, Mama. I spat on your grave, I cheered the moment you breathed your last on this world. There! Are you satisfied now? You cold _bitch_!"   
When she looked up at her mother's face, she saw that it had changed. No longer were her eyes emerald-green, but an all-too-familiar burning blue.   
"There now," her mother said, her voice different, a low-throated growl. "That wasn't so hard now, was it?"   
Callista felt her eyes open wide, and she stepped back, almost tripping over the broken table. This was not her mother at all. It never was.  
"Arak?" she gasped.   
Arak, now in the form of her mother, nodded. "Very good, Callista. It took you long enough, though."   
Feeling panic and confusion start to overwhelm her, Callista looked around at the familiar kitchen. At the place she had once called home so many years ago...then back at Arak. "I don't understand," she said. "Where am I?"   
Arak smiled. "You're in Raximidaj," she said.   
"What? This--" She gestured at their surroundings. "--is Raximidaj?"   
"Of course," the goddess replied in that horrible, demonic voice. "What did you expect Raximidaj to be like, Jedi? A world of fire, lava, and brimstone?" She chuckled. "No, that's too clichéd." She spread her arms out, encompassing the entire room. "This is Raximidaj, my sweet, in all its nightmarish glory."   
Callista nodded as everything started to make sense to her. "This isn't real," she said softly, looking out through the window again. Josef and her father were gone, vanished without a trace.   
Mere illusions. "It's like one big nightmare, isn't it?"   
"That's exactly what Raximidaj is," Arak said. "A nightmare. This dimension has no true form. How you interpret it depends on you."   
Callista looked over at the god. "I still don't completely understand."   
"Take a look around you, Callista," Arak explained. "This place, this very home, represents your worst nightmare. Your greatest fears...this is source of most of your worst memories. Your mother's death, your family blaming you for her suicide, your ever-increasing isolation, the deaths of your brother and father, both deaths barely a month apart...when a being is sent to Raximidaj, their worst memories becomes Raximidaj to them. In your case, your childhood on Chad is your Raximidaj. In fact, the term Raximidaj is Kerash for nightmare."   
Callista listened intently to Arak's explanation. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit into place. "What's your worst nightmare?" she asked suddenly.   
Arak seemed surprised by her question. "Me? Oh...the battle on Kindora. Losing to the gods, and being banished in this miserable place for all eternity, until the Ritual of the Coming brings me back into your universe." Her voice grew softer, almost gently. "Every day, I relive that same nightmare over and over...just as you will relive all this for all time." Callista felt horror pierce her heart as she listened to Arak's words. She would have to keep reliving her life on Chad every day until she found a way out of this place-- And it was then that Callista realized what she had said earlier. About her mother. About how glad she was that her mother had committed suicide, that she had longed for it to happen.   
And it was a lie.   
Her mother's death was the worst day of her entire life. It had forever shattered her life and her relationship with her family. Nothing would ever be the same again. And to say such things about her mother, who loved her dearly, and never quite realized how much Callista loved her back...   
Arak seemed to be reading her mind. "Oh, don't fret over it so much," she said. "You're just lying to yourself. You never loved your mother at all. She loved you, that much is true, but you never loved her back...hence, the suicide."   
Callista at first felt hurt by Arak's words, followed quickly by anger. "You know nothing of my mother and me," she snapped accusingly. Arak shrugged. "Hey, don't get mad at me. I'm just going by what I see. Besides...it's none of my business."   
She turned her whole body toward Callista, malice glowing in her eyes. "What is my business is that you came here to stop me. And I intend to kill you and your husband, and leave this damned place forever."   
"But you lost your chance," Callista pointed out. "We pushed you back into Raximidaj. There's no way out."   
Arak smiled. "Oh, I don't think so, Jedi Knight. The blood of the Bond and the Vessel has already been drawn, and the portal has been opened. True, it's closed again, but I now have the ability to open it at my own free will. All that stands in my way now is you."   
Callista drew herself up to her full height, glaring full-force at the goddess. "You're not leaving Raximidaj, Arak."   
"Oh, really? Who's going to stop me--you?"   
Callista suddenly felt a wave of invisible power smash into her chest, throwing her off her feet, and through the kitchen wall. She screamed in pain as pieces of brick and debris cut into her skin, and she hit the sand moments later, paralyzed with shock and pain. She had sprained her ankle in the fall, and her left arm hurt too much to move it. As Callista began to stand back up, she saw Arak glide through the hole made in the house, and landed gracefully on her feet. Her eyes glowed brighter than ever as she sauntered over toward Callista.   
"I'm going to have so much fun ripping you apart limb from limb," she snarled, as she bore down on Callista.  
  
_I know you're here...  
_Luke felt a cold rush of air as the platform he stood on began to move. Not far  
behind, he could hear Artoo's desperate whistles and beeps as the little droid  
tried to follow him into the anteroom, but was cut off from his master when a  
large metal door closed in front of him, sealing off the anteroom.  
Luke ignored it as the platform carried him into another chamber, a large vast  
cavern of pipes and machinery. The only sound was his own ragged breathing and  
the barely discernible hiss of steam escaping from the pipes. The chamber was  
darkly lit, and the air was freezing. Luke shivered as he look around the empty  
chamber, feeling very much like he had stepped into the cave on Dagobah again.  
_ Where are you? I know you're here, hiding...  
_ Unconsciously, his hand moved to his lightsaber. The hairs on the back of his  
neck stood. Intuition–or perhaps the Force; he could feel it flowing through  
him–told him that was not alone. Someone else was in the chamber, waiting for  
him.  
Remembering Master Yoda's teachings–he could still hear the little old Jedi's  
voice in his head, warning him not to go, that his training was not yet  
completed–Luke stretched out with his feelings. His thoughts stretched across  
every corner of the carbon-freezing chamber, searching for the monster that  
awaited him in the dark–  
Suddenly, the lights in the chamber brightened. A fresh burst of steam rose  
from the opening of the hydraulic elevator. Through the newly-born noise, a  
voice–accompanied by an all-too-familiar stentorian breathing that emanated from  
a black mask–hissed through the room.  
The Force is with you, young Skywalker.  
Luke turned to the source of the voice, barely able to hold back an involuntary  
shudder, and looked up at the creature that awaited him.  
Darth Vader stood quietly, menacingly, on the walkway above him, shrouded by  
steam. His breathing echoed in the vast room. That mask–that black mask that had  
the silent ability to terrify any being who looked into its empty, dark  
eyes–stared down at him, beckoning him. In one gloved hand, Luke could see  
Vader's lightsaber, not yet activated.  
But you are not a Jedi yet, Vader finished, unmoving.  
A range of emotions ran through Luke's mind as he began walking up the stairway  
to meet his enemy: terror, anticipation..and above it all, rage. This was the  
man who had killed the people closest to him. This was the man who had murdered  
his father, his uncle, his aunt, his mentor, and now threatened the lives of  
those dearest to him.  
Knowing what he would have to do–after all, this was why he had left Dagobah,  
leaving his training incomplete–Luke put away his blaster; it would do no good  
against a Sith Lord.  
_ Don't give in to hate...that leads to the dark side...  
_ Luke said nothing as he joined Vader on the top of the walkway, a mere ten feet  
away from him. He looked into those cold, black eyes, the mask that hid the face  
of a demon. He remembered what had happened in the Dagobah cave, the battle that  
had followed, and in the end, Luke had decapitated Vader–  
Only this time, it was for real. No more tests, no more illusions. This time,  
Luke knew that this was the real monster. Only one person would walk away from  
this confrontation alive.  
Luke ignited his lightsaber. The blue blade hissed to life. His eyes never left  
Vader, a challenge.  
A second later, Vader followed suit. A bright red beam of light extended from  
the cylinder–the same blade that had cut Obi-Wan down on the Death Star–and  
nearly crossed with Luke's.  
Luke could feel his confidence rising, pushing away the fear.  
This time, he would not fail. He knew he could take Vader. He would not die like  
Obi-Wan. This monster would pay his crimes against the galaxy. He would pay for  
killing Luke's family–  
Luke lunged forth, his lightsaber slashing through the cold air of the  
carbon-freezing chamber. Vader moved as well, his blade intercepting Luke's  
blow. Unfazed, he tried again, and let out a cry of surprise as Vader pushed  
back with incredible strength, causing him to lose his balance.  
Luke was on his feet within seconds, his blade held out in front of him. He  
moved forth a few paces, and Vader stepped back. Neither spoke.  
Luke's eyes bored into Vader's emotionless, terrifying mask. It seemed to be  
laughing at him, taunting him–  
_ He betrayed and murdered your father...  
_ The anger in him rose, and Luke attacked. The battle began.  
The two blades crossed over and over, as Luke and Darth Vader fought for  
dominance across the platform. Drawing strength from the Force, Luke struck  
again and again and again, and each time his attacks were repelled by Vader's  
weapon. All the while, his hate and rage toward this man–no, this creature–grew  
stronger and stronger.  
_ Don't give in to hate...  
_ Vader was extremely good; after all, he had been able to hold off a Jedi as  
powerful as Obi-Wan. Never once did he take the offensive, although he certainly  
could have–for although Luke was a good, strong fighter, even without the Force,  
he was no match for a Dark Lord of the Sith. Instead, he merely remained  
defensive, parrying and driving back every one of Luke's blows.  
Hack, slash, jab, parry. The battle continued on. The minutes melted away,  
until time became irrelevant. Luke clenched his teeth as he drove the Sith Lord  
back, resorting now to brute force. He chopped away again and again, each time  
aiming for Vader's neck, just as he had in the cave...  
You have learned much, young one, Vader said, almost respectfully.  
Luke forced a grin. You'll find I'm full of surprises.  
The battle between them continued–and then changed.  
Now they were in a different part of Cloud City. In the reactor shaft. Pain  
burned through Luke's right arm, and as he backed away from Vader on the gantry,  
he saw that his right hand was entirely gone.  
Vader had sliced it off.  
There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you.  
Luke crawled to the end of the gantry, clutching his right forearm. He looked  
down below, toward the abyss. He knew that if he fell, he would keep falling, he  
would fall forever–  
In his mind, he could faintly hear someone screaming. It sounded like a woman–  
Leia?  
No, not Leia. It was someone else. Someone he knew–  
Vader said, stepping closer to the gantry. His lightsaber remained  
activated, but no longer pointed at him. You do not yet realize your  
importance. You have only begun how to discover your power.  
Luke looked at him in Sith Lord. Vader had him right where he wanted; why  
didn't he finish him off, like he did Obi-Wan–  
And then he realized why. The knowledge of it chilled him to the core. Vader  
had never intended to kill him at all.  
He wished to turn him to the dark side.  
Unbidden, a memory returned to him. Of him in the cave on Dagobah, facing off  
Vader and decapitating him, the explosion that followed afterward, the  
realization that the face looking up at him through Vader's mask was his own–  
_ The cave...remember your failure at the cave...  
_ Join me, Vader continued, his cape billowing around him like black wings,  
and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this  
destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy.  
I'll never join you! Luke shouted defiantly, and he meant it. He would never  
join this murderer, or his Emperor–  
Vader raised an angry fist. If you only knew the power of the dark side... He  
paused, looked at Luke as he struggled to maintain a hold of the gantry, as if a  
thought had suddenly occurred to him. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to  
your father.  
My father? Yes, he told me what happened, you murdering bastard...  
He told me enough! Luke growled. He told me you killed him.  
Vader said, quietly, almost regretfully. I am your father.  
It was as if the galaxy had stopped existing at that moment; all that was left  
was Luke and this...dark thing that stood before him. He looked into Vader's  
mask, at those cold, unmoving eyes. No words could describe the sudden explosion  
of emotions in his mind. Luke almost let go of the gantry in sheer horror.  
Shock, disbelief, betrayal, rage, terror, anger, revulsion...and even sadness.  
_ He betrayed and murdered your father...  
I am your father...  
Betrayed and murdered your father...  
Obi-Wan never told you...  
Murdered your father...  
_ Luke choked, feeling the tears well in his eyes. His throat tightened; it  
became harder to breathe. No...that's not true! The anger began to take over  
again. That's impossible!  
But Vader was unfazed. Search your feelings. You know it to be true.  
Liar! You are nothing but a murdering liar! You are NOT my father; you KILLED  
my father!  
_ You know it to be true...  
_ Luke began to scream. Scream and cry. The tears flowed, the pain in his right  
arm forgotten; it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. He suddenly  
wished he would just die, die and make the pain go away.  
_ It's not true. None of this is!  
But what if it IS true...?  
_ Vader stepped back, shutting off his lightsaber. A new voice rippled from his  
mask...different and more terrifying. It was an inhuman, animal growl. Look at  
you. The great Jedi Master Skywalker, crawling and whimpering like a caged  
animal. How pathetic.  
Luke looked at him, confused. _What...?_  
Time for a change of scenery, don't you think?  
Vader–or whatever this creature was–waved one gloved hand, and the world swam  
before Luke's eyes, blurring, losing shape and color, until he plunged into the  
abyss...  



	23. Reward

  
Hope sat cross-legged in the center of the Main Hall, with Anakin at her side. Her eyes were closed shut, as she listened to the Force's instructions on how to reopen to portal.   
_Tell me what to do_, her mind said quietly, as she began to concentrate.   
_The Force resides in all living things_, the being explained, its voice calming down Hope's storm of emotions. _Any who shares a special connection to it can do anything with it. A person who has mastered the Force can even open a vortex leading into other worlds, if they so choose.   
But I'm not experienced,_ Hope thought-spoke desperately, feeling her concentration falter. _I'm just three years old.   
But you are the Calthazar, Hope. You were brought into this world for a special purpose. When you were only a few days old, you were able to save your mother and father from death on Dathomir.   
_Hope nodded, and smiled as that memory came back to her. She, with the help of Anakin, had managed to bring Mommy and Daddy back from the afterlife, just when they were about to cross over to the Other Side. It had seemed impossible, but they had succeeded. And she would succeed again. _Okay_, Hope thought, feeling her despair give away to determination. _I'm ready. Tell me what to do_.  
  
Callista staggered unsteadily to her feet, watching as Arak came closer to her, almost floating in the air. She was still hiding behind the face of her mother, her eyes blazing with evil intent. Callista froze as she stood up. The moment she had been fearing had now arrived. Arak was no longer going to pull any more punches. She could have killed Callista right then and there if she wanted to, but she was going to take her time.   
How was a Jedi Knight going to defeat a god?   
"What's the matter, Callista?" Arak snarled in her terrifying voice. "Is that fear I smell? Trust me, my dear, you don't know the meaning of that word until now."   
Her hands hooked out into savage claws, her teeth shaping into razor-sharp fangs, yellowish spittle drooling from her mouth.   
"I'm ready for you, Jedi."   
Callista swallowed her fear, and charged at full speed toward the goddess. She never even saw Arak move. One minute, she was standing directly in front of her, getting closer by the second as Callista closed in on her, beckoning with her hands. Then suddenly, she was standing off to Callista's right. Her mouth suddenly erupted in pain, blood flying from her broken lips, and she realized that Arak had just thrown a roundkick at her face. She had never even seen it coming.   
Arak moved again, an unearthly fast blur. Callista felt the god's arm smack into the back of her legs, causing her feet to leave the ground. Callista cried out as the world spun out of control, and her back hit the sand. _Focus!_ her mind shouted angrily at her. _You can't let her get the best of you_!   
Callista obeyed, and her eyes bore onto a palm tree standing crooked behind Arak. With a mere thought, Callista tore the tree free from its roots, and sent it flying in Arak's direction. The god must have sensed it coming, and she performed an amazing somersault that made her fly over the propelling tree and land right behind it. The palm tree crashed into the Nogati home, tearing easily through the old brick. Callista was on her feet within seconds, feeling the Force flow through her veins, stronger than ever, and she strode over to Arak, who was just beginning to turn around to attack. Without a moment of hesitation, Callista threw a massive double-punch across Arak's face, first hitting her with a left, followed quickly by a right.   
The blow seemed to hurt the god, but just barely. Within the realm of Raximidaj, Arak was susceptible to injury. _Keep fighting!_ Callista thought fiercely as she hit Arak's jaw with a right, then another left, spun, and backhanded her, knocking her to one side. With her opponent now taken off the offensive, Callista moved forth and did a backflip into the air, shoving both feet hard into Arak's gut, staggering her against the ruined wall of the house. Callista landed safely on her feet, a gap separating the two women.   
Arak was starting to get up again, the numerous blows starting to take its toll on her. Her face was unblemished; not a single bruise of a trace of blood showed.   
Apparently, gods didn't bleed.   
Callista grinned. _Then I'll just have to keep pummeling her._   
As Arak strode over to her, rage palpable on her mutated face, Callista slammed the palm of her right hand into the center of the god's chest, causing a gasp of pain to leave her mouth. She struck again, this time aiming a little higher, toward the breastbone. Again, her aim was true, and Arak was sent stumbling back. Arak seemed to be in pain, but she was also furious. As Callista threw another punch, Arak's hand shot up and effortlessly blocked it. Callista grunted as she threw out her other fist, but again it was blocked. With Arak now holding the Jedi by her arms, she sent her foot into Callista's knee, almost breaking the bone. Callista cried out as pain surged through her leg, and she felt Arak kick her full in the face. Her nose split open, and she almost fell. Arak swung Callista around, in an attempt to throw her down to the ground, but Callista managed to steady herself, now standing directly in front of the house.   
The god smiled, and threw out one hand, palm outward. Callista was knocked off her feet by an invisible blow, and she sailed through the hole made through the house, and crashed into the kitchen wall, her back smashing into one of the cabinets, spilling plates and glasses upon her. She hit the floor seconds later, covered in tiny pieces of glass. As she weakly stood up, dozens of tiny cuts on her skin from where the glass had cut her, she could hear Arak's laughter ringing in the air. She watched with horror as the god entered the house through the open hole, a sneer spreading across her face.   
"Is that the best you can do, Jedi?" she roared. "Let me show you how it's done." As she spoke, Callista saw something move from the corner of her eye. She turned and saw a flying plate coming in her direction. She tried to move away, but she was too late. The plate smashed her squarely in the face. Callista screamed as the plate shattered upon impact, driving large pieces of glass into her face, drawing blood. None of it made it into her eyes, but the rest of her face was ruined, little more than a large mass of blood. Callista screamed as she wrenched several of the glass pieces free from her flesh, and turned to see Arak standing directly in front of her now. She had never even seen her move. With one, quick move, the god threw a backhand that hit Callista right in the jaw. The blow was so strong that it nearly knocked Callista out. Callista had not even begun to recover from that when she received a kick straight into the stomach, lurching her forward and causing her to vomit blood. It splattered onto the floor, on the broken glasses and plates. An intense wave of pain burned in her gut, and Callista realized that Arak had kicked her so hard that she had ruptured her liver. When she looked up, blood flecking from the corners of her mouth, Arak drew back and flipped back through the air.   
Callista felt the god's feet sail into her feet as they flew up in the air, knocking several teeth loose from her mouth, and she was knocked back against the wall, falling helplessly to her knees. Seconds later, Arak was standing over her, the victor.   
"You fought well," Arak said softly, almost sympathetically as she towered over the downed Jedi. "I'll give you that much. A lesser person would have been dead a long time ago. But now, I'm getting bored." As she spoke, she reached down and pulled free one of the legs of the ruined table, and held it in one hand, her eyes focused on Callista's head. "Tell Shemra I'll be coming by soon, and that she's going to pay for what she did to me."  
Luke began to scream.  
Emperor Palpatine stood before him, in all his aged, ravaged glory. Dark power  
rippled through his, from his fingers as he fired blue-white lightning at the  
Jedi, burning through his clothes and touching his flesh. Pain surged through  
his entire body, and he nearly fell to his knees.  
_ Where am I? The question seemed odd to him at a time like this. First I'm on  
Bespin, now I'm suddenly on the Death Star? What's going on?  
_ Young fool, Palpatine said, his eyes burning into Luke. Beside him, Vader  
stood weakly, smoke rising from his arm where his hand had once been. Only now,  
at the end, do you understand. He sneered as he fired another volley into Luke.  
The pain intensified a hundred-fold. Luke couldn't even fight back. He tried to  
draw on the Force, to give him strength, or at least stop the pain, but it did  
no good. He was too weak. His fight with Vader had already sapped him of his  
strength. And the Emperor was too strong–far too strong.  
The old man sauntered forth, taking his time. Your feeble skills are no match  
for the power of the dark side. More fire streamed from his fingertips, causing  
Luke to let go of the canister he had been holding onto and onto his hands and  
knees. You have paid the price for your lack of vision.  
The lightning began increasing in power and heat, and this time, Palpatine did  
not stop. It burned through Luke, burning his clothes, his skin, his hair. His  
entire body writhed with pain, his limbs jerking out of control, as if he were  
having a seizure. Vader watched on, his eyes on Luke the whole time, never once  
moving.  
Father, please! Luke cried weakly, but was soon drowned out by the lightning.  
And even through the pain, that question still lingered curiously in his mind,  
as if none of this were happening.  
_ Why am I here? Is this really happening?  
Or is it a dream?  
_ The outpour of lightning finally stopped. Luke remained on the floor, gasping  
for air, unable to move. He tensed, awaiting for Palpatine to continue, knowing  
what was going to come next...  
Because this has already happened before. Over ten years ago–  
Finally realized it, did you? a voice said. Not Palpatine's. Not Vader's.  
This was the same voice Luke had heard on Bespin, just before it had changed–  
He looked up, wincing in pain as he did so. The Emperor was gone. So was his  
father.  
Before him stood Beru. His aunt, who had died all those years ago...  
Luke coughed, trying to get up, and only half-succeeding. Where am I? he  
gasped, his eyes remaining on Beru.  
She smiled. A horrible, evil smile. Welcome to Raximidaj.  
At once, memories returned to him. Anasazi, the Kerash, the portal, him leaping  
into the blue vortex–  
Callista. And Hope.  
What had happened to them?  
Immediately, Luke understood. And as he looked into the eyes of the creature  
that stood before him, nothing like the kind, caring woman who had been his  
aunt, he knew that this wasn't Beru. Or Vader. Or the Emperor.  
This was Arak, the goddess of the Kerash.  
Very good, the goddess said, reading his thoughts.  
Luke finally stood, the pain now gone. He looked around the Emperor's inner  
sanctum. This isn't real, is it, Arak? he said. This is a dreamscape. An  
illusion.  
Yes...and no, Arak said, gesturing with both arms. This is the hell I was  
banished to eons ago by Sheherhera. Raximidaj, once the kingdom of the Pantheon,  
has become a world of dreams. More specifically, nightmares.  
Luke shuddered, as the last piece of the puzzle connected. So, that's what  
Raximidaj is. It's a dimension with no reality. A world where a person relives  
their worst nightmares, over and over again.  
It's an endless cycle, Arak explained, the smile still on her face. She  
looked even more terrifying wearing Beru's face than Vader's. This world draws  
images from your mind. It draws on every day of your life, every experience,  
every tragedy, every death, every moment of pain you've ever had...and magnifies  
them a thousand-fold. She laughed. And yours, Jedi Master, is more...rich than  
others. You've very well acquainted with pain and tragedy, aren't you?  
Luke nodded, the memories still fresh in his mind.  
There are thousands of memories this dimension can draw upon, Arak continued.  
But it chooses the most powerful memories...the most frightening, the most  
interesting. She came up to Luke, bringing one withered hand up to caress his  
cheek. Oh, yes...your nightmares, Skywalker, are very interesting.  
Luke angrily slapped her hand away. Don't touch me.  
Arak cackled. Ooooh, getting feisty, aren't we?  
What if I die? Luke suddenly asked; out of the corner of his eye, his  
lightsaber–which he had cast away when confronting the illusionary  
Palpatine–began to twitch. What happens if I somehow die in my nightmares.  
Oh, that won't be a problem, Arak said. For in Raximidaj, you can never  
truly die. You just keep experiencing your nightmares, over and over and over  
again. It's the true meaning of torture, don't you think?  
Luke reached out with his mind, and the lightsaber slowly levitated in the air.  
Where's Callista? he demanded.  
That caused the goddess to laugh again. Oh, don't worry about your precious  
woman. She's here...with us. Reliving her own nightmares. It's quite amusing,  
really. Her memories are almost as interesting as yours...  
You're sick, Luke said in disgust. The lightsaber was slowly making its way  
toward him. You thrive on the pain of others. That's what makes you weak;  
that's why the Force was able to defeat you and the other gods.  
You know NOTHING of weakness, Jedi! Arak snapped, one hand clutching Luke by the neck. He hadn't even seen her move. Now, it is time for you and your woman  
to die. And once you two are out of the way, I can leaved this damned place  
forever, and conquer the universe! The Order of Kerash will triumph!  
But I thought you said we couldn't die, Luke said with a confident grin.  
Oh, that is very true. Your bodies will not permanently die. But you can die,  
believe me, over and over...and each one will be more painful than the rest.  
The lightsaber was now hovering behind the goddess, ready to be activated.  
You won't win, this Arak, Luke said. You've already lost. Your followers are  
all dead. And even if you kill me and Callista, Sheherhera will stop you once and for all.  
That bitch has no power! Arak seethed. If she truly had power, she would  
have killed me a long time ago. But she did...and now she, and the rest of the  
universe, will pay for their folly. Starting with you. Her eyes glowed with inner fire.  
Luke focused on the lightsaber's switch–and turned it on.  
The blade stabbed through the air, toward Arak's back–  
But Arak was no longer there.  
Instead, she was off to Luke's right, as if she had been there all along.  
You fool! she hissed. Did you honestly think I wouldn't notice your  
stalling? That's the oldest trick in the book!  
Knew I couldn't fool a god, Luke muttered, as he beckoned the lightsaber back  
to his hand. Looks like I'll have to do it the hard way.  
He came at Arak and slashed–  
At air.  
She had disappeared again–now she was standing to his left, cackling.  
Luke moved fast, the Force guiding his every move. He brought his lightsaber in  
an upward sweep, cleaving Arak into two uneven pieces.  
But, much to his shock, the pieces pulled right back together, as if pulled  
back together by a giant magnet. Arak's laughter reverberated through the  
Emperor's inner sanctum, as if she was everyone at once.  
You cannot defeat me, Skywalker! the goddess roared, now a blur of speed,  
charging for right him.  
Luke's reflexes kicked it, and he flipped backwards into the air. At the same  
time, he brought his feet directly into Arak's chest, pitching her back and  
shattering her into several thousand pieces.  
Luke landed gently on his feet. Slowly, Arak's pieces began to reassemble,  
congealing into a dark substance that crackled with fire. She began to change  
shape, from Beru into a giant black spider. Its millions of eyes glared at Luke,  
each one illuminating blue light.  
Impressive, isn't it? Arak said in that same guttural, demonic voice. The  
giant spider-creature charged toward Luke, brandishing a deadly stinger that  
dripped with poison. I can take on billions of shapes, Skywalker. This is  
nothing compared to what I can do!  
  
Both Luke and Arak turned to the source of the new voice. A figure stood on the  
platform above them, holding a sun-yellow lightsaber.  
It was Callista.  
  
  
******  
"Callista!"   
Luke's voice filled Callista's ears, and for a moment, she thought she was just hearing things. But she soon heard the sound of footsteps, and she looked up to see Luke standing just outside the enormous hole in the wall, armed with his lightsaber.   
"Get away from my wife!" he shouted at Arak as he thumbed the switch. Arak moved fast, leaping through the hole to meet the Jedi Master. Callista tried to get back up to help her husband fight this demon, but she fell back down, too weak to even stand. She could only watch as Luke engaged the Kerash god.   
He swung the green- white blade toward Arak's god, but she easily ducked beneath the arc. As Luke brought the blade back and prepared for another blow, Arak grabbed the lightsaber by the handle, and seemed to focus her eyes on it. A second later, the hilt of the weapon began to glow a bright white-red, as it overloaded from within. Luke saw what was happening, and cursed as he tossed the Jedi weapon down to the ground, where it shattered into several tiny pieces, rendering the weapon useless. Unarmed, Luke tried swinging a blow for Arak's head. The god used her arm to knock aside his fist, and used her other hand to hold the table leg, and smacked the Jedi Master in the back of the head.   
As Luke reeled, Arak tossed the table leg into her other hand, and smashed one end of it into his jaw. Callista cringed as she heard the crack of Luke's jaw ring in her ears, quickly accompanied by a long wail of pain. She wished so much that she could help him, and strained to get back up again. Her stomach was still burning with agony, as was her entire face.   
Arak spun, now holding the table leg with both hands, and struck Luke firmly in the gut. He bent over in pain, and he cried out as Arak grabbed a hold of his sandy-blond hair and yanked back, and flipped him to the ground. Luke's back struck the sand, and he remained there, the fight nearly out of him. By now, Callista had managed to steady herself on one foot.   
_Hang on, Luke. I'm coming..._   
Arak smiled with sadistic pleasure as she grabbed Luke by the hair, and lifted him up to his knees, ignoring his pained cries.   
"So, you're the mighty Jedi Master I have heard so much about. The man who defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, the man who recreated the Jedi Order, the man who single-handedly destroyed the Death Star." She placed the claws of both index fingers on the corners of Luke's eyes, her smile growing wider, exposing her animal fangs. "Tell me, Jedi Master, when this starts to hurt." She shoved her nails deep into Luke's eyes, ripping them open.   
Luke's wails, which had started out as low moans, now immediately changed into pure agonizied screams as the god gouged his eyes out. Blood and a clear, sticky fluid leaked past Arak's nails as she dug deeper and deeper, until she reached his brain. Callista froze, the horror and fury she felt indescribable, as she watched this demon mutilate her husband. She began to scream, screams of terror and anger, her voice carrying across the beach and into the ocean.   
"NO! ARAK, YOU BITCH, LET HIM GO!!!"   
Arak's eyes turned to face Callista, and she merely offered her a smile. Her nails remained embedded into Luke's eyes, as he continued screaming, and she focused intently on Callista, as if looking through her. Callista growled as she started to head over to the god. Anyone who dared to hurt her husband in such a manner was going to--   
The bones in her legs suddenly snapped in half, cutting open through her flesh. Callista stopped dead in her tracks, at first not knowing what had just happened, then fell back down, having just stepped out of the house as the bones her legs suddenly and inexplicably shattered into tiny pieces, several of them sticking out of her skin.   
She screamed as she hit the sand, pain shooting through both her legs, and into her chest. Arak's eyes remained on her, as all the bones in her legs continued to break apart, until she was completely crippled, no longer able to walk. Arak smiled as she reveled in Callista's agonized shrieks, mixing in with Luke's, and she looked down at the Jedi Master, her nails still digging through his ruined eyes.   
"Ah, yes, I forgot about you for a minute there. Let's say we try something else now?" Blue lightning sizzled through her arms, passing through her hands, and into Luke's eyes. The Jedi Master shrieked as the electricity coursed through his body, his limbs jerking uncontrollably. Arak's nails remained in his eyes, as she dug into his brain, at the same time electrocuting him. Smoke began to rise through his skin, through his nostrils, ears, and mouth. Callista finally stopped screaming, although the pain remained. She looked over at Arak and Luke, could feel her husband's life slowly draining away.   
_Callista...I'm sorry...   
No! I've already lost too many people. I can't lose you now!   
_Callista looked around, looking for something, anything, she could fight Arak with. With her legs broken beyond repair, she could no longer get up--   
--and her eyes rested upon a large piece of transparisteel, from when she had shattered the window earlier. An idea came to mind. It was crazy, and probably wouldn't work...but she had to do something. She couldn't just watch as Arak slowly took Luke's life away from him. Callista reached out with the Force, and the transparisteel shard slowly lifted up into the air. Luke's screams began to grow weaker as the lightning sizzled through his body, and blood began flowing from his nose and ears. Arak's laughter rose above his screams, seething with triumph.   
With a final shove in the Force, Callista sent the shard flying in the god's direction. Arak must have somehow sensed it coming, for she turned around, and deflected the shard back with her power--right back at Callista. Callista cursed as she began to focus on the shard, determined to send it in another direction. At the same time, a coconut from the fallen palm tree broke free, and sailed toward Callista, propelled by Arak's powers. It smashed Callista right in the side of the head, causing her to lose focus. The shard move forth, unstoppable in Arak's invisible grip--   
--and plunged directly into Callista's throat. The world seemed to slow around her, as the tip of the shard entered her flesh. She coughed, once, twice, and tried to breath--but the shard had severed her windpipe, and all her breath escaped in a sickening wistle through the hole in her throat. Callista was not even able to scream, as she fell back, feeling an entire river of blood stream from the torn hole in her throat. The back of her head hit the wall of her childhood home, as Callista felt her life slip away with each passing second. The pain was tremendous, both in her throat and her legs. Arak laughed as she finally released Luke, letting the Jedi Master topple to the ground, on the borderline of life and death. Callista herself was following the same path, as Raximidaj slowly began to be enveloped by a bright flash of light. She looked over at Luke for one last time, and sent a single, final thought out to him.   
_I'm sorry, Luke. I couldn't stop her...   
  
_  
Callista, get back! Luke commanded, readying to battle this creature.  
Luke, we have to do this together, Callista said, her eyes remaining on the  
spider-creature. Just as it was foretold. The only way to destroy Arak is  
through the Trinity.  
Ah, yes, Arak said. The blessed Trinity. But, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't  
a trinity supposed to be three participants?  
Ice froze in Luke's stomach. Hope...where was Hope? Was she in Raximidaj,  
experiencing her own torment–  
Luke shouted, sprinting for the spider-creature. But Arak was no  
longer interested in him.  
For its eyes were now on Callista.  
Callista smiled, beckoned the creature. Come on. Show me how strong you really  
are, she challenged, leaping off the platform.  
Arak took the bait, clambering after Callista in its new, hellish form. Its  
giant stinger came up to intercept her–  
Luke saw what was going to happen, knew he couldn't stop it in time.  
  
Callista's eyes widened, and a gurgled moan escaped her mouth as Arak's stinger  
plowed through her gut, coming out through her back. The acidic poison began its  
work, eating through her entire body. Steam rose from the mortal wound.  
Time seemed to slow for Luke. He began running toward them, his steps becoming  
slower, more labored.   
Callista began to fall, slowly, every so slowly–  
The room was punctuated by Arak's victorious cackle–  
You BITCH!!!! As Luke screamed, he leaped through the air, his foot smashing  
into Arak's torso. He used the Force to increase the intensity of the blow, and  
Arak was sent flying back–  
Only to stop completely in the air.  
Luke glared up at the spider beast as it floated in the middle of the chamber,  
still cackling.  
You can't kill me, Skywalker, she said. You can't even hurt me. I am the  
master of this realm. I control everything.  
Then come on down and finish me, Luke said, waving her forward with one hand.  
The spider began flying towards the Jedi Master. But not until I've  
had my fine.  
Then she began to change form again. As Luke watched, the spider-creature began  
twisting, its mass growing smaller. Bones broke, ligaments tore; it sounded  
painful, and yet Arak never uttered a sound as she transformed.  
Now, she remained in the air, in the form of a horrific, reptilian creature  
with giant horns. Give it up, Jedi, she snarled. There's no way you can beat  
me.  
No harm in trying, is there? Luke quipped.  
You will regret those words dearly, Arak said, as she threw one large,  
slime-covered fist that connected with Luke's jaw.  
The pain was enormous; Luke didn't even feel himself fall. He landed right  
beside Callista, who still desperately clung to life. He looked into her eyes,  
which were wide with agony and terror. A single thought shot from her mind into  
his:  
_ Luke, we need help. We need...Hope...  
It's okay, Callista, _Luke assured her. _Everything will be fine..._  
He suddenly the air ripple as someone manipulated the Force. He cried out as he  
was thrown off his feet, through the air, and into the platform above, causing  
the entire structure to collapse.  
Luke fell, dozens of feet, his back impacting the hard floor. Bones in his body  
snapped; the pain was tremendous. He began to scream.  
_ Luke, we need to finish the Trinity. It's the only way...  
_ Arak was now looming over him. As Luke weakly rose to one knee, she knocked him down with another blow to the face, ripping deep, fresh gashes from the top of  
his head down to his neck. Blood spurted freely onto the floor, the wall, the  
wreckage. One of Arak's claws had torn an artery–  
Are we having fun yet? the goddess said, grabbing Luke by the hair and  
pulling him to his knees. He uttered a gurgled scream as several strands were yanked out.  
Callista called, weakly, one hand outstretched.  
It's too late for you both! Arak snapped, bringing her foot into Luke's back.  
Luke felt himself fly again, the top of his head colliding with the wall on the  
other end of the chamber.  
Slowly, he began to fall, knowing now that Arak was right. The situation was  
hopeless. Without Hope, there was no way they could win this fight.  
He and Callista were doing to die...over and over again.  
As Arak advanced toward him, beginning to transform again, Luke felt Callista  
send one last thought out to him, before she died.  
_ I'm sorry, Luke...I couldn't stop her...  
  
_"Leave my Mommy and Daddy alone." Callista looked up at her daughter's voice entered her ears. It sliced through Arak's laughter like a sharp knife, causing the Kerash goddess to look around in surprise.   
"Who dares to say that to the great Arak?" she bellowed, her voice causing the ground to shudder.   
"Over here."   
Both Callista and Arak looked to see Hope emerge from the water, like an ocean goddess, her brown hair waving around her like a cape. The ocean water did not drench her as she rose above it, and began walking across the water, her eyes blazing with white fire. "Hope?" Callista tried to gasp out, but the shard lodged in her throat prevented her from talking, and all that came out was an incomprehensible gurgle.   
Arak seemed amused by the appearance of the little girl. "Well, if it isn't the weak link of the chain," she said, as she went over to Hope. "You shouldn't have come here, little girl." "You've hurt my Mommy and Daddy," Hope said, her eyes glowing as they glowered up at the Kerash god. She glided gracefully through the air, and landed when she stood directly in front of Arak. "The Force lady showed me how to reopen the portal. You're a bad person, Arak, and you have to go away."   
Arak scoffed at the little child. "Perhaps you have not been paying attention, young Hope," she said, and gestured to Luke and Callista, who writhed in pain on the sandy ground. "Look what I have done to your precious parents. That's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you in a few seconds if you don't turn around and leave."   
Hope shook her head defiantly. "You don't scare me, Arak. You're just a big, stupid, smelly piece of bantha fodder."   
That seemed to set Arak off, and she reached forth and grabbed Hope by the throat with one clawed hand. "Foolish little girl!" she growled. "You have no respect for your superiors! And I'm going to make you pay."   
Suddenly, the two froze in place, as if an electrical current had just passed through both of them. Arak began to spasm and shake, while Hope remained still, her eyes bearing deep into the god's. Arak's lips curved back into a frustrated snarl, as she tried to snap the little girl's neck, but Hope resisted. The god's body continued to shudder, as if a small earthquake was raging inside her--   
--and was thrown back. Hope used a powerful Force blow to smash into Arak's chest, knocking the god off her feet, and back through the air. She landed painfully on the ground, just in front of Luke and Callista. Hope stepped in front of the downed goddess, completing the triangle.   
  
Luke had watched the entire exchange between Hope and Arak, amazed. As he faded in and out of consciousness, still bleeding from all open wounds, he watched as  
Hope–a little girl only three years old–beat back a centuries-old goddess, as if  
it was no harder than swiping at an annoying insect.  
It was the most incredible thing he had ever seen.  
As Hope closed the triangle formed around Arak–consisting of herself, Callista,  
and Luke–Luke felt fresh, new power was over him. It stopped his wounds, closed  
them, healed them. His energy was restored, better than before. Far off,  
Callista stood as well, having hovered somewhere between life and death only  
seconds before, her wounds gone as well. Her eyes glowed with white fire.  
It was Sheherhera, Luke realized. She had returned to them, returned to  
Raximidaj...to finish what had been started eons ago.  
Arak had to be destroyed.  
  
It was then that Callista felt that same surge through the Force flow into her body again. It spread across her body, easing the pain in her legs and throat. She found herself able to stand up, despite her broken bones. She looked over at Arak, her eyes suddenly glowing with the same white fire as Hope's. Off to one side, Luke began to stand as well, able to see again, even without his eyes. He glared at the Kerash god, white burst of fire glowing from within his hands.   
Arak began to stand up, realization dawning on her face, fear glimmering within her eyes. "What..." she gasped, as she looked from one Jedi to another. "No...No, it can't be!" "Your days of being bad are over, Arak," Hope exclaimed, as she pointed her hands toward the trapped god. "It's time for us to teach you a lesson you'll never forget." "No!" Arak screamed, as she tried to get away, but she was trapped within the triangle. White lightning burst from Hope's hands, striking the god squarely in the chest. Arak shrieked in pain as the fire burned into her body, her hands going up to her chest. But she was still alive, and didn't go down. Her burning blue eyes stared up into the morning sky, her scream penetrating the calm air. Luke raised his hands as well, and he fired a volley into Arak, penetrating the darkness with light. The Kerash god fell to her knees, her cries increasing. She begged for mercy, calling out to Shemra, but the Force paid no heed to her words. Arak's time had finally come, and she had to pay for the crimes she had committed against the gods.   
It was Callista's turn.   
"Callista, don't!" Arak said, as she looked over at her, her voice different, now sounding more like her mother's. Her eyes changed color, into that familiar emerald-green. "Please, don't do this, Callista! I'm your mother! Please, don't kill your own mother!" Callista paused as she gazed into Arak's face, at the face that looked so much like her mother's. She remembered how Arak had taunted her in the house, filling her head with lies, making her believe that she had wanted her mother dead. Callista expected to feel rage at what Arak had done...but instead felt a strange sense of peace. The light within her burned strongly, extinguishing her dark feelings.   
Hope and Luke continued to bombard Arak, and the god was slowly dying. But she would never die unless Callista fired the last flames into her. The Trinity had to be completed. Callista extended one hand out, focusing on the weakened god. A single, prodigious sizzle of fire awakened from her fingers, heading in Arak's direction. The last thing she saw of Arak was her false emerald eyes, silently pleading. Arak screamed as the final bolt hit her, and her body became engulfed in a wash of blinding white light. Callista had to shield her eyes from the explosion, Arak's scream ringing in her ears. As the Kerash god was sent into oblivion, Callista could feel the influence of Shemra leave her body, and once again, the pain in her legs began to return. Callista let out a scream as she began to fall back down. The light coming from Arak came forth, toward her like a wave of fire, and Callista felt the flames envelop her as it took her away from Raximidaj...  
  
_Why do I keep coming here?   
That's for you to decide._   
Callista stood over the largest cliff on Chad, overlooking the vast, endless blue ocean. The sun, Icari, was starting to set over the horizon, and it would soon be nightfall. "Wh...Where am I?" Callista found herself asking aloud, her eyes looking around. Hope and Luke were nowhere to be seen. "What is this place? Am I still on Raximidaj?" "No, Lissy," a voice said from behind. "Not anymore."   
Callista spun around and saw her mother--her real mother, she could sense, not Arak--standing behind her, with a beautiful young woman by her side. A woman with long brown hair and gray eyes, like Callista's... Callista almost gasped when she recognized her. "Kara?"   
Her firstborn daughter, now cleansed of her evil, and looking more beautiful than Callista had ever seen her since her birth, nodded.   
"Hello, Mother," she said softly.   
Callista looked from her mother to Kara. "Is...Is this the Other Side?" she asked.   
Her mother nodded. "What you're seeing now is merely an illusion, something you created. Like how you created your version of Raximidaj." Her voice grew softer, as she looked around the familiar world. "Why do you keep coming back here, Callista?"   
_That's for you to decide._   
As Djinn's words echoed in Callista's mind, it suddenly became clear to her. As she looked around the cliff, and then at her mother and Kara, a flood of memories came back to her. She remembered her dream of seeing her mother standing over the same cliff--just after Callista had regained her Force powers--and it had turned out to be Kara instead, furious that her mother had abandoned her, and longing for revenge. More images returned: of her mother's suicide, of the funeral afterwards, of how her family blamed her for what had happened, forever altering her life for the worst...   
"I know why now," Callista suddenly said, looking over at her mother. "I blamed myself for what happened. These dreams I keep having of Chad, and of...I can't let go of the past. I still blame myself for your death, Mama." Her eyes began to brim with tears, as she was suddenly seven years old again, and holding her mother's lifeless body in her hands. "Mama, I'm so sorry..."   
"Don't be," her mother cut in gently, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "What happened to me...it was not your fault. It never was. It was mine, for being weak and taking the easy way out. I chose my own path, and I paid the consequences." Callista could see tears in her mother's eyes as well. "I'm just sorry that you had to carry the burden on your shoulders for so long. If anyone should apologize, it should be me, for ruining your life..."   
"Mama, I'll never agree with the decision you made," Callista said sternly. "What you did was wrong...and the lives of everyone who was close to you were shattered. Not just me, but Papa, too, and Josef, and Maya and Arkna. Our lives were changed forever because of what you did."   
Her mother nodded and looked away from her, her cheeks burning red with shame. Callista's tone softened, and she reached forth and gathered her mother in a hug. Something she had not done ever since that one, fateful night.   
"But I do love you, Mama," she said softly. "I will always love you."   
Her mother nodded, as she returned the hug, her body shaking as she wept on her shoulder. "I love you, too, Lissy," she whispered. "And that is why you must let go of the past once and for all. Or else, it will always come back to haunt you. Don't blame yourself for what happened to me. Go out and live your life in happiness with your family. You can't do so if you keep holding on to the past. Conquer it...before it conquers you."   
"I will, Mama," Callista said, echoing the same words she had said decades ago, when her mother was in her death throes. "I promise. I promise..."   
They remained together for a long time, then Callista let go. She looked over at Kara, her firstborn daughter, who had remained silent throughout the conversation. She seemed afraid to approach Callista, as if frightened to incur her mother's wrath.   
Callista smiled sadly as she gazed at her daughter. "And my dear, beautiful Kara," she said. "I'm sorry for abandoning you. If there was any way I could change that, I would..." Kara shook her head. "I think we both have to share the blame, Mother," she said. "I chose the wrong path. I allowed anger and bitterness to blind me. The dark side was never the right answer, Mother." She sighed, as she looked into her mother's gray eyes. "I did so many terrible things to you and your family. And for that, I'm sorry. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself..."   
"It's all in the past, Kara," Callista said, as she hugged her daughter, fighting to keep from crying. "Focus on the here and now. I want you to be happy now." She kissed Kara on the cheek and smiled. "I wish you and Geith the best, Kara. I love you so much. You'll always be my daughter."   
Kara nodded. "I know. And you'll always be my mother. And I love you for that." Callista smiled as she looked from Kara to her mother, knowing that this would be the last time she would ever see them again until the day she died. She could feel the tears threatening to spill down, but she held it back.   
"I have to go now," she said. "Luke and Hope need me."   
"Not yet," her mother suddenly said. "We haven't event told you why you were brought here."   
Callista hesitated, as it dawned on her that she had never even bothered to ask. She turned back to her mother and daughter. "What do you mean? Why was I brought here?"   
"The Force is grateful that you defeated Arak in Raximidaj," her mother explained. "And she wants to reward you...by this..." As she spoke, she stepped off to one side, exposing a little boy around the age of two or three who had hiding behind her, who smiled up when he saw Callista. Callista's heart almost stopped when she recognized the sandy- blond hair, the light brown eyes.   
The same boy in her dream.   
"Ben?" she gasped, her hand going up to cover her mouth. She could feel the tears start to flow. "Ben...?"   
Ben looked over at Callista's mother. "Who is she, Nana?" he asked curiously. Callista's mother smiled down at the little boy. "Ben, say hello to your mother," she said. "She's come to visit you."   
Ben nodded as he walked up to Callista, curious brown eyes looking up at her. "Hello, Mommy," he said in a sweet, polite voice. For a moment, Callista couldn't even respond, as she looked down at her beautiful son. The son she would never have, taken away from her by Xizor's treachery...  
"Hello, Ben," she finally answered, and bent down to hug him. Callista began to sob as she felt the little boy's chubby arms wrap around the back of her neck.   
The pain in her womb returned, reminding her of what had happened... "Oh, Ben," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks and onto her son's shoulders. She was speechless as she held onto her son, who probably no idea of what had happened to him. Callista could already see the knife plunging again into her stomach--   
Ben pulled away from her, and he looked into her eyes. "You're very pretty," he said politely.   
Callista smiled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "And you are beautiful."   
"Why are you crying?" the little boy asked, touching the trickling tears on her face. Callista shook her head as she continued wiping the tears away.   
"It's okay...I'm just...happy." She smiled as she stroked her fingers through her little boy's hair, who felt so smooth and soft, just like his father's. "Oh, Ben, you're such a little angel. I'm just happy to have finally seen you."   
Ben giggled as he looked up at his grandmother. "She's a nice lady, Nana." He looked back at Callista. "Will you come back to visit us again?"   
Callista felt the tears begin to return, as she looked at her son, her mother, and her daughter. Three of the most important people in her life, now one with the Force. She began to feel overwhelmed, unknowing of what to say. She looked up at her mother, who nodded in encouragement.   
"Yes," Callista finally said, kissing Ben on the forehead, almost choking as she wept. "I'll come back soon, little one. I promise."   
She stood up, and looked around her. At her family, at Chad, at the sun setting over the ocean. I have to let go of the past once and for all, she thought, as she said a silent goodbye to her childhood home. _Or else it will just keep coming back to haunt me. It will be an endless cycle... _She turned back to her family, and she nodded.   
"I'm ready." Her mother nodded, and the world around Callista became a white flash of light, as Chad and her family disappeared forever...  
  
"Mommy! Wake up!" Callista gasped as her eyes opened, and she looked up to see Hope standing over her, frantically shaking her mother. She immediately sat up, and found herself back in the Main Hall of the temple. The portal was gone, having vanished into oblivion. The eclipse was gone, replaced by the black canopy of sky, with the stars winking down at them. As she regained her awareness, she saw Luke extend his hand out to help her up.   
Smiling, she took it, and stood up, and saw the Kerash rebels surrounding them, all heaving sighs of relief as they saw Callista finally awake. Leanna was also there, with Llia in her arms, along with Emna, who had assisted the rebels in the battle, and was helping support Anakin.   
As Callista stood, she realized that she felt no pain at all in her legs. She looked down and saw that her legs had completely healed, as had the wounds on her throat and face. She looked over at Luke, and saw that no trace of the injuries he had received in Raximidaj remained. His eyes had returned, and they looked more beautiful to Callista than ever.   
"What's happened?" Callista asked. "Did we win?"   
"Yes," Kieran said triumphantly. "We have won! The Kerash are no longer a threat to the universe!" He raised his mace high in the air. "Hail the Fyorga!"   
The rebels raised their own weapons and joined their leader. "HAIL THE FYORGA! HAIL THE FYORGA!"   
As the rebels cheered, Callista went over and hugged her husband and daughter. She was with her true family now. "I love you both so much," she said over the cheers. Luke replied with a passionate kiss. "Callista, you did it! You defeated Arak."   
Callista shook her head. "No...we did it." She smiled as she wrapped one arm around Hope. "Oh, Hope, I'm so proud of you. You were very brave back there."   
Hope flashed her mother a bright grin. "Thanks, Mommy." As she hugged her husband and daughter, celebrating their victory over the Kerash, Callista felt a new sense of peace as she finally let go of the past that had been haunting her for so long. Her focus was now on her new family, her new life.   
She was finally home.   
  
As the sun began rising over the horizon of Anasazi, signifying the beginning of another morning, and the beginning of a new life for the Anasazi people, Callista prepared Cray's funeral pyre. She stood alone in the jungle, having built Cray's pyre by breaking branches off from gnarltrees, and fastening them together with greenish- brown vines. The HRD's lifeless body was now placed upon the pyre, her empty optical sensors--with half of her face gone, exposing the machinery underneath the synthflesh--starting up into the early morning sky. As Callista looked up, she could see smoke rising slowly into the sky from a distance as the rebels began burning their dead. Luke and Hope were with them, mourning the rebels who died in the battle, as well as the innocents slaughtered at Semaj. Their victory had been costly, leaving dozens dead, twice as many wounded, and many more emotionally scarred.   
While Callista's heart went out to the dead, she felt far more sympathetic for the survivors, who had lost their friends and family due to the Kerash. Those emotional wounds hurt far worse than any physical wound, and would take years--even liftetimes--to heal from.  
And now, as she prepared to incinerate Cray's body, she was saying good-bye to another fallen friend. As she looked down at Cray, a flood of memories came back to her. Memories of meeting the real Cray on the _Eye of Palpatine,_ of Cray offering Callista- -who had been a mere spirit trapped in the battle station's computer--her body so that she could be with Nichos on the Other Side. Although Callista would always be grateful to Cray for that, she couldn't help but feel...guilty. Her encounters with the Cray droid further deepened the wounds. True, Cray had willingly surrendered her body to Callista, but every now and then, Callista would sometimes feel dirty for inhabiting a body that didn't even belong to her.   
Although, she was happy to have received a second chance of life, and now was blessed with a wonderful husband and child, there was still that nagging feeling in the back of her head that told her that what had transpired on the _Eye_ wasn't right. And as she looked into Cray's lifeless eyes, she felt those feelings return, stronger than ever. This Cray was not even real; she was merely a machine who looked like Cray.   
But every time Callista looked into her face, her eyes, that same dirty feeling came back to haunt her, in the same way that her mother's suicide came back. The words of her mother echoed in her mind. _You must let go of the past once and for all. Or else, it will always come back to haunt you. Conquer it...before it conquers you...   
_As those words repeated over and over in her head, Callista began to nod to herself. Just as she had to let go of her tragic childhood on Chad, she had to let go of what had happened between her and Cray on the _Eye of Palpatine_.   
The decision had already been made, and there was no turning back. She had to accept that, and move on with her life. Callista now held a torch in one hand, ready to ignite the pyre.   
"Cray," she began, not sure of what to say. "I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, I want you to know something. Something that I have been keeping to myself for over four years."   
She closed her eyes, and reopened them, as if expecting to see Cray standing before her, as a spirit. But no one came, so she continued. "You gave me another chance to live. By offering me your body, you made the largest, most noble sacrifice anyone could ever give. Perhaps I didn't deserve your kindness, and maybe what we did was the wrong thing to do...but I want you to know that I will forever be grateful that you did it.   
"I hope that you and Nichos are happy now, wherever you are. Because I'm happy where I am right now. Thanks to you, I now have a new life, with a wonderful husband whom I love with my life, and a beautiful daughter who represents everything that is good in this life."   
She paused, feeling a knot tightening in her chest. "And I just want to thank you, Cray, for everything you've done for me. Without you, I still would have been trapped in that cursed computer for all eternity. I owe you everything, my friend."   
She placed the torch upon the dried leaves of the branches, and the flames immediately came to life. They touched Cray's body, melting away the synthflesh and burning the circuits and wires. An acrid smell of burnt synthflesh and battery acid rose into the air as the fire engulfed the Human Replica Droid's body, smoke trailing into the morning sky.   
"May the Force be with you, Cray," Callista whispered. She stood there for a long time, not moving until the funeral pyre was nothing more than a mound of ashes.  
  
Hours later, Callista returned to rejoin her family and the Kerash rebels. As she stepped out of the jungle, and into the clearing, Hope ran toward her and hugged her at the legs. Callista smiled as she picked her daughter up, and tossed her playfully into the air. Hope giggled as her mother grabbed her in a loving hug, and they went over to Luke, who awaited them near the _Silver Wings_.   
Luke smiled as he kissed his wife, and asked, "How are you doing, lovely?" There was a slight layer of concern under his voice.   
"Fine, actually," said Callista honestly, wrapping her arm around Luke's, as she held Hope by the other. "I feel very good. I haven't felt this good since...I can't even remember."   
And she did; for the first time in decades, she felt free, as if a gigantic burden she had been carrying around all her life had finally been lifted from her shoulders. "So, are you guys ready to leave?"   
Luke nodded. "Ready when you are."   
Kieran, who had conversing with Leanna, went over and offered Callista a bow. "Thank you very much, Callista," the rebel leader said, as he took her by the hand and kissed it. "You did what no one has ever been able to do, not even the gods themselves. You defeated the Kerash, and destroyed Arak for all time. We are forever in your debt." Callista smiled, and hugged the young man. "You don't owe me anything, Kieran," she said softly. "For it wasn't just me who did it. It was you, and everyone who helped fight the Kerash. Everyone here contributed to the battle, not just me."   
"Yeah!" Jacen exclaimed, as he stood up from the ground. "Even me, Jaina, and Tenel Ka!"   
Luke chuckled. "Yes, while you were in the jungle, Callista, Jacen and Jaina were telling us everything about the Force storm they created during the battle."   
Callista's eyes widened as she looked down at the three children. "That was you guys?" she said, both shocked and proud at the same time. Tenel Ka nodded. "This is a fact, Lady Skywalker."   
"And it was my idea," beamed Jacen proudly.   
"His best idea ever so far," Jaina added, then grumbled under her breath, "His only good idea ever."   
"Hey!" Jacen said, playfully hitting his sister in the arm. "I heard that, rancor-breath!" Callista smiled and shook her head as the twins began arguing back and forth, then turned back to Kieran. "So...now that the Kerash is gone, what are you and your people planning on doing now?"   
"What else?" Kieran said. "Start over. Return to our homes, live out the rest of our lives in peace. Believe me, I'm looking forward to it." He bowed again. "Again, thank you very much for your assistance, Fyorga. The people of Anasazi will never forget you." Callista nodded and smiled in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Kieran," she said. As they spoke, Emna came up to the group, and she grinned at Callista.   
"Hey," she said. "Well, that battle certainly was a hectic experience I hope never to see again."   
"Thank you for your help," Callista said gratefully, as she shook the former Nightsister's hand.   
"No, thank you," Emna replied. "You made me see the light on how evil the Kerash truly are. I should've realized it sooner, considering that I was..." She trailed off, ashamed to finish her sentence.   
Callista could sense her turmoil, and asked, "So, what do you plan to do? Go back to Dathomir and start over?" Emna shook her head. "Actually, no. I spoke with Kieran, and I decided to remain here on Anasazi. These people could use someone who's skilled in the Force. Kieran said that he would love to have me be the village shamaness. I could restart my life, and help people in need. That way, maybe I can begin my healing..."   
Callista nodded as she hugged the young woman. "I pray that you'll succeed," she whispered. "I wish you the best, Emna."   
"And I the same to you," Emna said, as she went over to stand by Kieran's side. "So, what are we just standing around here for?" Leanna asked, holding Llia in both arms. "Let's go home!"   
"Gladly," Callista said. "I sure could use a long vacation after this." The entire group laughed and nodded in agreement. Moments later, after having said their goodbyes to the Kerash rebels, Callista, Luke, Hope, Jacen, Jaina, Anakin, Tenel Ka, Leanna, and Llia boarded the _Silver Wings_ and lifted off from the clearing. The rebels waved their hands in good-bye, wishing their Fyorga and her friends well.   
"Coruscant, here we come!" Leanna said from the pilot's seat with an exhilerated yell, as she pulled the hyperspace lever. The _Silver Wings _departed into lightspeed, heading home.   
  
As the ship streaked away from Anasazi forever, the exhausted passengers took up bunks, chairs and the floor to catch up for the sleep they'd missed in the last few days. Everyone save two people. Callista sat in the _Silver_'s galley, sipping a mug of jeru tea. Her mind wouldn't calm down...there were too many thoughts spinning in her mind, that she couldn't convince it to settle down long enough for a sane semblance of sleeping.   
She stared out the viewport at the vastness of space, lost deep in her thoughts, so she didn't notice Luke enter until he put a hand on her shoulder and kissed the crown of her head. She turned around a smiled at him, then sat up so he could join her. Luke sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She settled back against his chest, and sighed deeply.   
"Thank the Force we all got out alive."   
"Yes," Luke said quietly. He tightened his grip on her, as if even speaking of the past days would make her slip away from him.   
Callista bit her lip. Luke knew everything, there was no way of hiding it anymore...she hated to think about it, but she knew that if she didn't say something it would hover between them forever like some threatening dark cloud ready to explode with killing lightning without any notice. Setting her mug down and taking a deep breath, she said, "Luke, about...Xizor...I feel terrible about all of it. If there was any way of erasing the past, you know I'd do it in a heartbeat. Xizor...he has a power over women that makes them...Leia knows about it, too. We--we lose ourselves and become extensions of his mind. Sleeping with him...it was like being trapped in the _Eye_ all over again. Like I wasn't even in my body anymore." She turned around and looked at him. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I love you more than anything, and I would never intentionally hurt you."   
Luke touched her face, then kissed her. "Everything is right between us. I love you, and I forgive you. I say we never speak of it again."   
Callista rested her head on his shoulder. "I have to agree with you, my love."   
Luke stroked her hair. "And...Ben..."   
"He's safe, and happy." Callista murmured, knowing it to be the truth, as she knew the truth of her love for Luke. "Mama and--and Kara--"   
"Kara?" Luke said with alarm. Callista raised her head and looked at him.   
"She was redeemed, Luke. Like your father. Just before she crossed over. They're watching him, on the Other Side. I saw them...just after we left Raximidaj, I had a vision. Mama, Kara, Ben and I were all there...He's so beautiful, Luke. And he's happy, and safe...he doesn't know what happened to him here--"   
Callista unconsciously touched the scar on her stomach, where Xizor's guards had stabbed her and killed Ben.   
"--but he's okay. We don't need to worry about him."   
Luke looked out the viewport, and sighed. "I'm glad, Callie. I wish I could have seen him--"   
Callista touched his cheek, and sent him an image, a memory: A five year old boy, standing on a windblown cliff beside a black-haired woman, his brown eyes wide and innocent and staring up at a face he'd never seen before, but how familiar it was...smiling, when Nana told him who the face belonged to, and reaching out to hug them.   
Callista opened her eyes, and saw tears of joy trickling down Luke's face. She hugged him tightly.   
"Ben..." Luke whispered. "He would have been a wonderful son."   
"We'll see him again," Callista said. "Nothing ends, after death, Luke. I promise you that."   
Luke squeezed his wife tightly. "I love you, Callista." Callista smiled as Luke leaned back against the wall. "I love you too," she whispered. They sat there in each other's arms until they drifted off to sleep, to shared dreams of a son that watched and waited for them.  
  
Two days later, the _Silver Wings_ touched down on Coruscant, landing on the landing pad of the Imperial Palace. Callista had seen the enormous field of wreckage from New Republic ships as the _Silver Wings_ entered the Coruscant System. Luke had somberly explained that the battle with Xizor and Black Sun had cost them so many lives, mostly civilians. It reminded Callista of the Kerash battle. Victory had been achieved by the good guys...but the cost had been high.   
Callista and Luke were the first to step down the ship's ramp, followed by Jacen and Jaina, then Anakin, who was now in a hoverchair due to his broken leg. Hope remained behind to say good-bye to Llia.   
"Thank you for everything, Llia," Hope said as she hugged the older girl. "Thank you for trying to help me and Anakin on Anasazi. I don't know what would've happened to us without you."   
Llia smiled, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. "It was nothing, munchkin," she said jokingly. "I'm sorry for having dragged you two into that whole mess in the first place. I owed you guys big time."   
Hope giggled, and she looked up at Leanna. "So, where do you two plan to go?" she asked.   
"Home," Leanna said. "Not Anasazi...our real home. I'm going to take Llia to see our brother. He's probably bored out of his mind without us to keep him company." She smiled, and ruffled her sister's hair, smiling lovingly down at her. "I've waited for this moment for such a long time. Our family is finally together again."   
Hope smiled, as she shook Leanna's hand. "I understand how you feel," she said, flashing a grin at her mother and father, who were patiently waiting for her, their hands held together.   
"You promise to visit us a lot, right?"   
Llia nodded. "Definitely. I'd love to come see you on Yavin. I want to see what the Jedi Academy is like." "Maybe you become a student there when you're older," Hope suggested.   
Llia shook her head doubtfully. "I don't think so. I'm not Force-sensitive or anything." "Hey," said Hope, giving her a little wink. "Anything's possible."   
Llia laughed, as she reconsidered. "We'll see," she finally said, as she hugged Hope again.   
"That reminds me," Leanna suddenly said, looking down at the little girl. "Hope, your father told me that you're now three years old, is that correct?"   
"Oh, yeah, I am!" Hope gasped. She had completely forgotten about her third lifeday, especially after everything that had happened to her in the past two or three weeks. "I didn't even remember that!"   
"Since Llia and I can't make it to celebrate your life day," Leanna said, reaching into her pocket as she spoke, "I'm going to give you your present right now."   
She pulled out a small necklace from her pocket, with a gold rose dangling at the center, and handed it to Hope. She took the gift, and gazed at the beautiful necklace in awe, the golden shine of the rose reflecting off her eyes. "It's beautiful," she said, and smiled up at Leanna gratefully. "Thank you very much."   
Leanna nodded. "It belonged to me when I was a child. My mother gave it to me. I wasn't really into jewelry and stuff like that. I'm glad you like it." She smiled down at her sister, taking her by the hand. "Are you ready, Llia?"   
Llia nodded in excitement, and turned to Hope. "Good-bye, Hope," she said softly. "May the Force be with you," Hope said, as she stepped off the ship's ramp.   
"And with you," Llia said. She followed her older sister back into the ship. The group, with Hope resting in her father's arms, waved good-bye to Leanna and Llia as the _Silver Wings_ lifted off and streaked back into space, another family at last reunited.  
  
Moments after the _Silver Wings_ had departed, the welcoming party arrived. Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and See-Threepio happily greeted the group, as Jacen and Jaina ran to hug their father's legs, trailed closely by Anakin. Luke went over with Hope and hugged his sister, while Callista hung back in silence, afraid to approach the group. Memories of their fight in the MedCenter returned to her, along with her slapping Leia in a fit of rage.   
_How am I going to tell them that I'm sorry?_ she thought to herself. _What if they never forgive me? I don't even know if I can forgive myself, after everything that happened--   
You must let go of the past once and for all. Conquer it, before it conquers you.._. "Callista," Leia suddenly said, forcing Callista out of her thoughts. She froze as the other woman came over to her. She looked into Leia's eyes, and saw that she was nervous as well. For a long moment, neither woman spoke. The rest of the group looked on with uneasiness, afraid of what would happen next, the old tension from their fight in the MedCenter quickly returning. Callista's voice caught in her throat, and she couldn't speak. _Conquer it, before it conquers you..._   
"Leia," Callista finally said, making eye contact with her sister-in-law. "I...I'm sorry...for what happened earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you and Han..."   
Leia nodded, not a trace of anger in her eyes. Only love, understanding, and concern for Callista. She reached out and hugged her. Callista returned it with weak strength, unable to stop from crying.   
"I'm so sorry..." she said again, feeling ready to collapse.   
"Shhhhh," Leia said, as she continued to hold her. "It's okay, Callista. It's okay. I forgive you. We all do..."   
After a minute had passed, and Callista had asked Han for--and received-- his forgiveness, and hugged him as well, the Skywalker and Solo family returned home to exchange stories of their previous adventures.  
  
Almost three hours had passed, and Callista was beginning to feel more at home than she had in a long time. For the first time, the family seemed truly happy, with nothing to worry about, now that they had once again saved the galaxy from Black Sun and the Kerash.   
That all may change the next day, but for now, the group was content to just sit around and talk, something they hadn't been able to do for weeks.   
Callista listened as Luke, Leia, and Han told her about the massive battle in the Imperial Palace control room, and of destroying Xizor's cloning chamber in the Menarai Mountains. Jacen and Jaina proudly told their parents about the Force storm they used to help Luke and Callista fight the Kerash--and how they had used the light side to do it, which aroused everyone's interest, particularly Luke's.   
Callista decided not to bring up Ben, or Kara, or Arak, or Raximidaj into the conversation. Those would be saved for a later time, when she was able to first deal with those issues herself.   
As they began preparing for Hope's life day party, which would be held in the Skydome Botantical Gardens, Callista noticed Hope sitting by herself in Anakin's room, looking out through the window toward the skyscrapers of Imperial Palace. Her maternal instincts kicking in almost immediately, Callista decided to go see what was wrong.   
"Hope?" she said, lightly knocking on the open door. "Can I come in?"   
Hope turned to her and smiled. "Sure, Mommy."   
Callista entered Anakin's room, marveling at all the little gadgets and gizmos Anakin kept in here, and sat down on the bed next to her daughter.   
"Are you excited for your life day party tonight?" she asked her daughter in an attempt to start a conversation.   
Hope nodded, almost absently. "Sure. Can't wait."   
That confirmed Callista's suspicions that something was bothering her little girl. "What's wrong, Hope?" she asked gently, putting her arm over Hope's shoulder. "Are you feeling all right?"   
"Not really," Hope replied honestly, and looked up at her. "Mommy, when I was in the temple...Kara...my sister...she said some mean stuff to me."   
Callista nodded in understanding. "I'm sure she did." "And one of the things she said was..." Hope hesitated before continuing, as if afraid to finish. "...about something about a brother I would never have." She looked up at Callista with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. "Mommy, what did she mean by that?"   
Callista sighed, as she stroked her daughter's hair. She had feared that Kara would have told Hope about Ben. Rather than lie about it, or try to change the subject, Callista told her the truth. She told her everything, about Xizor's guards stabbing her with the knife, about how she had tried to bring the baby back, and how she had told Luke about it, and how she had seen him after having vanquished Arak in Raximidaj.   
Hope just sat there, listening attentively to Callista's story, and finally leaned her head against her mother, letting out a sad sigh. "I'm sorry about Ben," she finally said, after a long period of silence. She didn't cry, just resigned to what had happened. "I would have liked to have had a brother."   
Callista felt her heart break at her daughter's sad words. She was still so young; no child ever should have had to deal with the death of a loved one...  
"It's okay, honey. These things just...happen. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it."   
"Thank you for telling me, Mommy," Hope said as she looked up at Callista, love shining in her eyes. "It really means a lot to me."   
Callista nodded, as she pulled something out from her pocket. "I have something to give you, Hope," she said softly. "Consider it an early birthday present." She pulled out a small lock of brown hair, and handed it to her daughter. "That's my hair. So that no matter what happens to me or where you go in the future...a part of me will always be with you." Hope looked down at the lock of her mother's hair, the color the same as her own, and smiled at Callista, offering her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Mommy," she said. "This is the best present you ever could have given me." Callista smiled, and watched as Hope continued leaning against her shoulder, as she softly stroked her daughter's hair.   
"Mommy?" she suddenly asked.   
"What?"   
"Can I have a brother someday?" Hope asked. Callista sighed as she nodded, wishing the same thing herself. She could see herself hugging Ben again before leaving the Other Side...  
"Sure, my little angel," she said, feeling her fingers stroke through her daughter's hair. "Someday, you'll have a brother, Hope. Someday..."   
Together, mother and daughter sat there, watching as the sun began to slowly set over the Menarai Mountains, signifying the end of another day...   
And the beginning of a new life.


	24. Epilogue

Epilogue  
  
The Skydome Botanical Gardens was one of the most beautiful areas to visit on Coruscant. Built a long time ago by the Old Republic, before the rise of the Empire, and located on the top of a skyscraper that was separate from most of the rest of Imperial City, the Gardens contained thousands of different plants from over hundreds of worlds in the galaxy, giving the terrarium a natural and exotic appearance. It was the ideal spot to hold Hope's life day celebration.   
Over a hundred of guests arrived, friends, family, Jedi students, and Republic leaders who came to celebrate not only their victory over Black Sun, but also for the third life day of the daughter of the Jedi Master who had helped make their victory possible. The celebration was held in the reception area, under a large ceiling window that displayed the stars that twinkled in the newborn night.   
Callista smiled as she greeted the guests, wrapped in a mother-of-pearl silk gown. From the many faces, she saw Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, Isolder and Teneniel, Leia's friend Winter, Lando Calrissian, Kyp, Tionne, Cilghal, most of Luke's original students, Wedge Antilles, Corran Horn, and dozens of other people Callista had met since she had been freed from the _Eye of Palpatine_.   
She even saw Gaeriel Captison, and Mara Jade, and Augwynne Djo, who had just arrived on a personal shuttle from Dathomir, along with Kirana Ti's daughter, Arian. Callista smiled as she went up and hugged the old woman.   
"I'm so glad you two could make it," she said. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to." "Are you kidding?" Augwynne said. "I wouldn't miss this for the universe. After all, it was Hope who delivered us from the hands of the Nightsisters."   
"Hello, Callista," Arian said, holding up a wrapped gift. "Where's Hope at? I want to give this to her."   
"She's right over there," Callista said, "where all the kids are." She pointed toward one corner of the reception chamber, where Hope stood amidst a mound of presents a kids her own age, including Anakin's friend Tahiri, and Jaina's centaur friend Lusa. Hope squealed with delight as she opened Jaina's present, which turned out to be a kid's multitool. Hope smiled as she thanked her cousin and grabbed Jaina in a hug, and proceeded to open a gift from Jacen. Arian ran over to join the group of kids. Callista smiled as she saw Hope greet Arian with a hug, and went over to Luke, Han, and Leia, who watched the scene from the punch table. Luke smiled as he wrapped his arm around his wife and offered her a warm kiss on the lips. Callista relished every second of it, and when she finally pulled away, she smiled.   
"What did I do to deserve that?" she asked her husband playfully.   
"Existed," was all Luke said.   
"Really?" asked Callista, her fingers curling around Luke's. "Well, in that case, may I ask for another one?"   
"Your wish is my command," Luke said, as they kissed again.   
"Hey, how come we don't do that anymore?" Han asked as he turned to Leia, a glass of juri juice in his hand.   
Leia offered him an exasperated look and sighed. "Fine, Han, you want a kiss? I'll give you a kiss." With that, she grabbed him around the neck and kissed him, taking Han completely by surprise. At first, a cry of protest escaped his mouth, coming out muffled, then became more relaxed as the kiss became more passionate.   
Luke and Callista watched the exchange with amusement. "Things certainly never change," Luke said.   
"They certainly don't, my love," Callista said, as she looked over at her little girl, who had just finished opening Arian's present. Hope beamed as she pulled out a small brown-furred rancor doll from the gift wrapping, and she hugged Arian in gratitude again. "Look at her, Luke. She's so happy...I hope it stays that way for a long, long time."   
Luke nodded, sensing his wife's discomfort at what the future might hold for their daughter. "It will, Callista," he said softly, stroking her hair as she leaned on his shoulder, gray, melancholy eyes watching Hope as she opened Anakin's present. "Trust me, my love...it will."   
Callista looked into Luke's eyes, which shined at her with a beautiful blue glow. "Thank you, Luke," she suddenly said.   
"For what?" "For everything. For being such a wonderful husband and father, for always being there for me, even when I don't deserve it." She thought back to their fight in the MedCenter, a distant memory to her now. "And for loving me."   
"And thank you as well, Callista," Luke whispered into her ear, his breath sending ripples through her hair. "For being the best thing that ever happened to me..."   
As the party continued, the music from Hope's favorite jizz-wailing band, Cookiee Navato's Favorite Proclamation, became louder and livelier. Luke and Callista exchanged a brief look, both thinking the same thing.   
"Shall we dance?" Luke asked, offering Callista his arm.   
Callista smiled as she accepted. "Lead the way, Master Skywalker." The two headed for the dance floor, arm-in-arm. They stood at the center of the floor, and began to dance, slow at first, then faster as the music began to speed up. Callista had always been a jizz-wailer fan, and as the music from Cookiee Navato's Favorite Proclamation entered her ears, she felt that old, familiar adrenaline she got every time she used to dance as a child return, and soon, the two dominated the dance floor.   
Within seconds, Han and Leia joined them, and the rest of the guests followed suit. In no time at all, the reception area was alive with people dancing, while Hope continued opening presents. Luke and Callista remained the focus of the dancing. Their presence eclipsed those of everyone else, their love for each other burning stronger than any possible flame. Callista felt her muscles sing as she danced, a large smile on her face. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself such as this.   
When the dance was over, Luke and Callista were the last to finish. Luke took her in his arms and playfully dipped her back over his knee, and Callista laughed. As they stopped to catch their breaths, they noticed the other guests applauding them, cheers rising into the air. Han offered Luke a thumbs-up, while Leia smiled at the happy couple, who deserved some happiness after everything they had been through. Even Hope and her little friends were clapping, the life day girl shouting, "Yay, Mommy and Daddy!"   
Luke and Callista bowed, and they climaxed the party with a beautiful, powerful kiss that lasted for what seemed like an eternity to them.  
  
As the party drew to a close, and the guests began leaving, Callista went over to Hope, who was busy looking at all the presents she had received. At the moment, the little girl was fiddling with Jacen's present, a Slice-Me Dice-Me Jedi doll, complete with its own little lightsaber. Callista smiled as she watched Hope play with the doll, using its lightsaber to stab her rancor doll in the chest.   
"Die, evil villain!" Hope said, making her voice sound deep. "I am a Jedi Knight! Beware, dark side, for here comes the light!" She turned and saw Callista sit down next to her, and she put the toys down, her face turning red.   
"You didn't see that, Mommy."   
Callista chuckled. "It's okay, Hope. I used to do that all the time when I was your age." She placed her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Did you have a good life day, honey?"   
Hope nodded. "It was the best life day I've ever had! I got so many presents...even from people I didn't know! I never realized I was so popular."   
"Would you like to take a walk outside?" Callista offered. "And look up at the stars..." Hope beamed, and she nodded as she stood up. "Sure, I'd love to!"   
Minutes later, they were standing outside the Skydome Botanical Gardens, the stars twinkling down at them as they talked. "Thank you very much for the party, Mommy," Hope said, as she held her mother's hand. "It was awesome!"   
"Well, you earned it, Hope," Callista said, patting her daughter on the head. "I can't believe you're already three years old. Time sure does fly by, doesn't it?"   
"You bet!" Hope declared, and looked up at Callista. "Um...what does that mean, time flying by?"   
Callista laughed at that. "You'll understand when you're older," she said softly, as they began walking down one of the many paths leading back to the metropolis of Imperial City. "Are you ready for pre-school, Hope? You'll be starting in a few more weeks." Hope nodded.   
"Yes, I am! And I can't wait! When can I go to Daddy's Jedi Academy?"   
"Soon, Hope," Callista promised her. "Before you know it, you'll become a great Jedi Knight, and a defender of the New Republic against evil." She fought back tears at the thought of her daughter growing up. "I'll be so proud of you, Hope..."   
"And you'll always be there for me?" the little girl asked, as she kicked at a pebble lying on the ground.   
"Always," Callista said, kissing Hope on the crown of her head. "No matter what..." "Thanks, Mo--" Hope stopped. "Hey, what's that?"   
Callista looked around. "What's what, honey?" "That," Hope said, pointing toward the ground ahead of her. "It looks kinda like a bracelet." Callista followed her daughter's direction...and felt her breath leave her in a wordless gasp. For on the ground, just in front of them, lay a small seashell bracelet. It was old and worn-out, and some of the seashells were missing or cracked, but Callista recognized the pink and red shells, shells that were only found on a ocean world such as Chad...and the memories came back.   
Callista, just before her seventh life day, making the small bracelet for her mother. Callista, holding her mother's dying body seconds after she had taken the poison. Callista, setting the bracelet down atop her casket, her life shattered forever...   
Callista watched as Hope went over to pick up the bracelet, unable to believe what she was seeing. The same bracelet, the same one she had made so many years ago for her mother, was now here, on Coruscant. How was that possible...   
"It's real pretty," Hope said as she examined the bracelet with curious blue eyes. She looked up at her mother. "Do you think one of the guests dropped it on their way out?" Callista shrugged, trying to hide her shock. "I'm not sure. But it's yours, now, Hope." Hope looked up at her with a hopeful grin. "Wow. Really?"   
Callista nodded.   
"Yaaaay!" Hope cheered, as she put the bracelet on, which fit neatly around her wrist, and she went over to hug her mother. "Thanks, Mommy! You're the best!"   
"Happy life day, Hope," Callista said lovingly, as she gazed up at the black, star-covered sky, wondering how in the universe this bracelet got here... And for a brief second, she could see Ben standing on that very same cliff on the Other Side, his brown eyes gazing up at the morning sky as Icari began to rise over the ocean, watching Callista and Hope hug under the Coruscant stars, smiling as he reached out toward his mother and sister...   
"Thank you, Ben," Callista whispered, smiling up at the forever-twinkling stars.


End file.
